NEW DELHI: A man from Kundapur in Karnataka’s Udupi district was allegedly murdered in Sharjah in July, and his body was later found cut into nine pieces, his brother said on Tuesday (Sept 22).
According to the TOI report, the victim, identified as Alwin, who was working in the UAE, last spoke to his family around July 20. Soon after, messages were sent from his phone saying that he was unwell and resting.
His family became suspicious because Alwin usually communicated through voice notes and rarely typed messages, his elder brother said.
“When we questioned him and asked him to make a call, there was no response after that,” the brother said, according to the TOI.
Family raises alarm after losing contact
The family then contacted one of Alwin’s classmates in Sharjah. The classmate went to the apartment provided to Alwin by his company, where a watchman allegedly said that Alwin had left for India.
The company’s human resources department also initially told the family that Alwin had travelled to India. However, the family said he had not returned to India.
His passport records were then checked, and he was reportedly found to still be in the UAE. A missing-person complaint was subsequently filed in Sharjah.
Body found inside abandoned car
According to Alwin’s brother, his body was found on Aug 12 inside the boot of his Toyota car. The vehicle had been abandoned on a road leading towards Oman.
The family alleged that Alwin had been stabbed in the chest and that his body was cut into nine pieces before being placed in two bags.
His identity was confirmed through DNA testing using a sample from his son, who works with Nestlé, the brother said.
The family has received Alwin’s death certificate but is still waiting for a copy of the FIR, he said.
Family unable to contact wife and son
Alwin had been married to Tina Kundar for around 20 years. The couple have a son who is studying in Class 10 in Dubai. Tina was working as a schoolteacher in Dubai, according to the family.
The family said it has been unable to contact Tina and their son. It also claimed that CCTV footage from the apartment showed two men and a woman moving luggage.
However, the family said it had no confirmed information on whether Tina had been questioned by UAE police.
“We cannot say anything conclusively without the FIR copy. But reports indicate that they may have left for India around July 26 or 27,” Alwin’s brother said.
The family has approached Tina’s native place along with her mother and is preparing to file complaints over the disappearance of Tina and their son.
A complaint is also being lodged at Udupi Town police station, and the family has met the Udupi Superintendent of Police.
The victim’s brother said the family was seeking justice and wanted strict action against those responsible. He said Alwin had never spoken about any marital or personal problems and appeared normal when he visited his family in December.
Udupi district police, meanwhile, said reports about a person from the district being murdered in Sharjah were circulating on local and social media platforms.
Police said they had not yet received any official information or confirmation from Sharjah Police or the Indian Embassy/Consulate in the UAE.
They said any official information received would first be verified and then shared with the media. - The Statesman/ANN
