Qatar police have opened an investigation into the case of a 26-year-old man who was reportedly killed by his friend last week, a representative of the Indian embassy has confirmed to Doha News.
Shanthi Shyam Krishnan Nair, a 43-year-old man who worked as an air-conditioning employee in Qatar, reportedly struck colleague Mohammed Rizwan ul Haq with an iron rod at their company accommodation in Wukair, causing his demise on April 18, the official said, asking to remain anonymous. Both men are Indian expats.
On Monday, the Gulf Times reported that the accused went into hiding for more than 24 hours after the crime. Co-workers found him on Saturday evening, within the same compound that housed several other residential units.
Nair hails from the Thrikannapuram district of Trivandrum, Kerala and Haq was a native of the Sindhri district in Madhya Pradesh. The embassy declined to name the company they worked for.
What happened
Speaking to Doha News, and embassy official who had been briefed by the men’s employers said that Nair had a drinking problem and was warned earlier by the company to control his alcohol intake. However, the official declined to speculate if the men were drinking at the time of the killing.
Many community members have reacted with shock at Haq’s death. Murders are rare in Qatar, especially between good friends, which the two men were, the official said, adding:
“These are very unusual and rarest of the rare cases. We are all human beings. How a person reacts to a particular moment – it is difficult for anyone to predict.”
Many questions remain about what exactly happened between the two men. What is known is that Haq and Nair had an altercation earlier in the day on April 18 that required the intervention of their colleagues, according to the embassy official.
Later in the afternoon on that day, when Haq had gone to dry his mattress and clothes at the rooftop of the villa compound, the accused had allegedly followed him and struck him with the rod.
Since it was Good Friday, there were only four people present at the accommodation when the incident took place.
The victim was immediately rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Doha News has learned that Haq’s body is still in the Hamad Hospital mortuary, awaiting police clearance and autopsy results. He is survived by his parents and older brother.
Meanwhile, the company is currently making arrangements for a family member of the victim to take Haq’s body home.
The embassy official said they are awaiting the official police report, and that Nair’s case will go the public prosector’s office. The 43-year-old is married with two children, but his family lives in India.
Thoughts?
Very upsetting news. It is absolutely shameful when we acknowledge such incidents occurring in a peaceful country like Qatar. May he rest in peace.
It’s not shameful at all and Qatar is not a peaceful country. Two incorrect statements. To address your problems, you first have to admit them and as for peaceful there have been several high profile murders in the press recently but those are the only ones we hear about and as for local ainst local violence they is never mentioned. As that to the daily violence on the raods, then I don’t consider that peaceful.
Depends on your interpretation of peace. I personally measure peace based on comparisons with other countries (which seems pretty logical to me). I’ve considered all the points you make but for me, compared to anywhere I can think of in the world, I would say Qatar is peaceful.
I do agree with you that it is not shameful. Even though I consider this a peaceful place, its definitely not crime free. Crime is also not the only indicator of peace, and we all know that there are dozens of issues here which must be acknowledged and addressed for this to be a fully ‘peaceful’ place
Compared to most of the countries in the world and more specifically across this region, i.e. Middle East and North Africa, Qatar is very peaceful. Crime does exist everywhere in the world. But largely, our surroundings are quite safe and sound here in Qatar.
Something is being lost in translation here.
@mimh:disqus I’m having a hard time understanding why you say that Qatar is not peaceful. Have you heard of Syria? or perhaps Afghanistan? You shouldnt go saying stuff like that wich is so contrary. There are idiots on the road of most countries but that does not make the country violent. I have to defend Qatar’s honor on this one because if you visit some of those other countries then you would probably not say that this is a violent place.
Peaceful? Road behavior is pretty unpeaceful aggressive and violent!
That’s my point, being dead by being beaten to death or dead by violent agree side driving is the same to me. At the end of the day I’m dead in both cases!
Exactly but for some reason the fact a vehicle is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands just does not compute here.
A truly sad and all to common senseless act of violence. Condolences to the family, may he rest in peace.
……Now could someone please tell me since when labourers living in labour camps have had access to alcoholic drinks that they have had to be reminded to control their intake of the same…Looks like QDC has relaxed the requirements again
Good point. How can laborers get liquor permits? Or afford to drink in the hotels (assuming they get let in at all).
Seems a bit weird to me.
We actually have an article about bootleg liquor that we plan to run in the next few days.
Ask an expat in Saudi there are plenty of ways to make alcohol it is just the byproduct of yeast fermenting sugar.
The Asian community runs a huge illegal booze operation in Qatar. Denied permits to QDC and unable to afford to drink in hotels, (if they can get in) they turn to making it themselves and selling it. Several big problems with this, one is the quality and the second is the potency.
The other way they do it is by mixing aftershave and the like with coke. Again pretty nasty stuff.
The biggest alcoholics you will meet are the people that spent too long working in Saudi. Too much Sidiki rots the brain.
…….please don’t use the usual excuse that they cannot afford the drinks at QDC or the hotels. Probably they can afford to buy it, and lots of it just like you and me. Its just that they are denied the privelege to do so and this is one main reason they turn to other methods to satisfy their thirst
I’d love to see you afford the drinks at QDC and at hotels when you’re making 1000 a month and you have to provide a living for (often) 3-4+ members of your family as well as yourself. No, they can’t afford to buy ‘lots of it like you and me’
This community is definitely denied privileges with access to hotels and liquor licenses being among them, but in my opinion their main reason for drinking illegial booze is simply because its much cheaper
Who said they were laborers or in Industrial area?
It is a shame that this has happened, and I hope ul Haq will be at peace.
But I have a question for the Dohanews team. I distinctly remember that you refused to publish the name of the guilty party in Ms Lauren Patterson’s case, until he was convicted. Why is that not true here?
You know the reason why. The same reason the Gulf Times stopped reporting Qatari court cases about 5 or 6 years ago. Shame I used to like reading what crimes they had got up to.
because he was a lowlife. now he’s a goner. get it over with
This is a fair question. We published the name because it has already been circulating in other news reports and was therefore in the public domain. However, we waited a few days before publishing this story to ensure we had all the correct facts from the embassy.
I go to QDC once a month or so and see Asian men with boxes of scotch loading up the car. Heading off to industrial area and selling it for profit. Not assuming either been told by Nepalese friends of the huge black market ran by Indians. Simple enforcement is for the CID to follow these people covertly and catch them in the act. All too hard I think.
Interesting.. You mean straight from the QDC to the Industrial area. Looks like they have some really big customers for this stuff out there and I suppose they pay a premium to get their hands on this tonic. Time to open QDC 2 at the industrial area
Who knows if it is straight from there. That’s up to the Police to work out. But trust me my informers who live in the Industrial area tell me it is rife. Oh your sarcasm is not lost on me either. If there is a will there is a way just look at what drug addicted people will do to receive their product all over the world.
hahahaha. you guys are funny!
How can it be okay for some to have it as they wish and not really okay for the others not to have it which makes those who cannot have it resort to all this James Bond style tricks to get their hands on this stuff. Perhaps this makes the stuff more sought after
Hey I’m on your side pal. I find the segregation at all levels offensive. But equally offensive is the exploitation of the ‘dealers’ on the ‘receivers’ in this case.
These guys were not based in Industrial Area. They were in wukair, i.e. Wakrah area. Probably not a laborer either if the company warned him about his drinking habits. So the illegal supply chain has nothing to do with this, I assume.
Rizwan ul huq is my brother can any one help me about What are the procedures for the repatriation? How much compensation his legal heirs will get? What are the legal provisions for that?.