Indian social worker found dead in Sharjah apartment

An Indian social worker and politician was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the toilet of his apartment in Al Majaz Sharjah on Monday, after he left for a lunch break from his office.

Thilakan S Pullani, 58, Senior Vice-President at the Sharjah Zone of Overseas Indian Congress Council (OICC), part of the Indian Association Sharjah and Sevanam, a socio political organization, was running a labour supply company in association with another business partner, and was allegedly facing financial difficulties.

Thilakan was also the Acting Chairman of the Sharjah Zone of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the ruling political coalition in Kerala.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, friends of the deceased said he was found hanging in the toilet of his three bedroom apartment near the Al Majaz Park in Sharjah. They said he was deeply saddened by the demise of his wife Leena, who died a year ago after fighting cancer for a long time.

His two children, who worked with him in the same company, were in India to perform annual rituals of their mother, who passed away last year. An alleged suicide note left by Thilakan addressed to Rajeev Pullani, his relative, listed out his small liabilities and the amount of money that he owed to a local partner, which was to be settled by selling the property back home.

“A few days ago we were together attending a public programme when a senior Congress leader was in Dubai. He did not say anything about his personal problems and as an organization, we failed to understand his personal difficulties. It is high time that an organisation like ours shares the members’ grievances and addresses them,” said N R Mayan, Overseas Indian Congress Council leader.

“He was a sincere social worker and we are saddened by his unexpected death. He was deeply saddened by his wife Leena’s death a year ago, due to cancer,” Mayin added. His children, Chinthu, 26 and Unni, 24 were in Kerala to perform the year-after rituals of their mother.

He was apparently alone in the flat during the alleged suicide on Monday. “The dead body is now in Kuwait Hospital morgue and will be repatriated after completing the formalities,” said a friend.

OICC leaders in the UAE said he was selected to head the Finance Committee of the OICC, during the recent meeting held in Abu Dhabi and that they were not aware of his personal or financial problems. “He had some problems with money lenders and business partners. The family property in India was sold to settle the liabilities here. He was sad after the death of his wife Leena, a year ago after undergoing expensive treatment here and back home. She was undergoing treatment in the Kuwait hospital,” said a family friend.

Among his Facebook friends is Mullappalli Ramachandran, Indian Minister, Digvijay Singh, General Secretary of Indian National Congress, Prathapa Varma Thampuran, President of District Congress Committee, Kollam Kerala, MR Ramadas, General Secretary at the KPCC, VD Satheesh among other prominent Congress leaders form India. “He was a very senior leader of UDF and OICC in the UAE. We are yet to get his dead body and the reason for his suicide is unknown. I don’t think he had major financial problems,” said a close associate of Thilakan.

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