SHARJAH // A senior Indian political leader and social worker based in Sharjah died on Monday.
Thilakan Pullani, 58, was senior vice president at the Sharjah branch of the Overseas Indian Congress Council (OICC) and chairman of the coordinating committee of the Indian Association Sharjah.
He was found in his flat in Al Majaz. Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
Mr Pullani ran Sharjah Labour Company, which supplied workers to the UAE, and was acting chairman of Sharjah’s branch of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the ruling political coalition in Kerala.
“This is a very unfortunate and untimely death of a senior colleague, and this is a loss for the entire Indian community as he was always up to help poor and destitute people,” said Y A Rahim, president of the Indian Association Sharjah.
“Mr Pullani was not suffering from any sort of ailment and appeared fit and healthy.”
Mr Pullani, from Thrissur in Kerala, had been associated with OICC for about 35 years and supported the Indian community’s social and cultural activities, Mr Rahim said.
The departing Indian ambassador, M K Lokesh, said: “We’re always in touch with the associations but I haven’t heard of it. It’s for the police to investigate and find out what is the reason.
“But in the meanwhile, if any assistance is required in terms of sending the body to India, the consulate will come into the picture.
“Depending on the request of the family members, we’re ready to transfer the body to India.”
Mr Pullani’s body is being kept in Kuwaiti Hospital morgue and will be repatriated after formalities have been completed.
He is survived by his two sons. His wife Leena died last year after a long battle with cancer.
anwar@thenational.ae
