AJMAN // The body of Sheikh Saqr Khalid Sultan Al Qassimi, who was killed in a road accident in India on Sunday night, has been laid to rest in Ajman.
Sheikh Saqr, 46, was a prominent Emirati businessman and the Ruler of Ajman's nephew. He was killed after the scooter he was riding crashed into a sign on the Sinquerim-Candolim motorway in the state of Goa.
His brother, Mohammed Saqr Khalid Sultan Al Qassimi, said Sheikh Saqr was buried in a ceremony early yesterday morning.
"His body arrived at around 12.30am and as per the Islamic culture we had to do the funeral as soon as possible so we chose to have it in the morning," he said.
Prayers were performed at Ajman's Sheikh Zayed mosque at 9am after which mourners moved with the body to the nearby Ajman industrial area cemetery where the funeral took place.
Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, the Ruler of Ajman, and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qassimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, together with the Crown Princes of Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah and a number of government officials attended the funeral to offer their condolences.
Brig Sheikh Sultan Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the deputy director general of Ajman Police and a relative of the deceased, said Sheikh Saqr leaves behind a wife and nine children, four boys and five girls.
"He was a very good person, more than a brother to me, and we are going to care about his children like our own," said his brother, Sheikh Faisal Khalid Sultan Al Qassimi.
Sheikh Faisal said he had spoken to his brother on the day he lost his life.
"He had called just to ask about everyone at home. That was his nature, so caring and all time he wanted to know that we were all fine."
Ali Al Nuaimi, another relative, said the accident had come as a shock to the entire family. But, as they were all believers, they had accepted God's will and were now making prayers for Sheikh Saqr's soul to be admitted to Paradise.
Sheikh Saqr suffered serious head injuries in the crash.
"He hit the sign on the road. When he was brought to the hospital, he was dead," said a spokeswoman for the Calangute police station in Goa.
Sheikh Saqr, the son of Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid Al Nuaimi, had travelled to Mumbai with a friend last Wednesday to receive medical treatment. The two had taken a train to Goa on Saturday.
"They went to Arambol and were staying in a guest house. But he [Sheikh Saqr] did not like the place and checked out the same night to stay in a different hotel," said the police spokeswoman.
His body was released from the local mortuary and taken back to Mumbai on Tuesday before being transported to the UAE.
