Tributes to Dubai Metro suicide man who planned to marry

Harish Pujari Mahabla was killed when he jumped in front of a Metro train at the Jumeriah Lakes Towers station last Monday.

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DUBAI // The man who killed himself by jumping in front of the Dubai Metro last week has been identified as a cashier and delivery person at a convenience store.

Harish Pujari Mahabla, 36, from Mangalore, India, worked for the Ginny’s Plus Trading group in Tecom for the past two years before he died in an apparent suicide last Monday.

Last week, police said that a man’s body had been found at about 6am in front of the Jumeirah Lakes Towers station.

He reportedly jumped over a low barrier on to the tracks. This was the first death on the Dubai Metro.

According to a relative, fingerprints from the body matched Mr Mahabla’s Emirates ID card details. “Fingerprints show it tallies with Harish’s,” said Nagesh Bangara, his uncle.

“He told [a relative] he doesn’t want to live longer. We don’t know why he did it. Things were fine at home. He was planning to get married in April.

“His mother and sister are extremely depressed.”

Colleagues last saw Mr Mahabla on December 1 at a staff party. His mobile had been switched off since.

“We reported he was missing to Dubai Police after he didn’t come for work on Monday when the store resumed work after National Day,” said Ginny Sahni, chief executive of the Ginny group.

“We expect to receive a written confirmation in two days. He was one of our best employees.”

The Indian consulate was yesterday providing assistance to Mr Mahabla’s family.

He was living in staff accommodation at Discovery Gardens. Police tests found that he had consumed alcohol.

pkannan@thenational.ae