Family Devastated After UAE Resident’s Journey Home for Onam Ends in Tragedy.
Dubai: A Dubai-based Indian expatriate’s journey home to Kerala for the Onam celebrations ended in tragedy after he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at Hyderabad airport, just hours before he was expected to reunite with his family.
The deceased was identified as Saneesh Babu, 48, who worked as a PRO for a Dubai-based company specialising in building access solutions.
Babu was travelling from Dubai to Kochi via Hyderabad when he collapsed while waiting to clear immigration at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on Sunday morning.
The airline confirmed the incident to Gulf News, stating that Saneesh collapsed at the immigration area shortly after arriving in Hyderabad, before he could board his connecting flight to Kochi.
As his family could not reach Hyderabad in time, the airline arranged for his remains to be transported to Kochi instead.
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Police told Gulf News that officers also worked closely with Saneesh’s grieving family in Kerala to assist with the arrangements for transporting his body following the medical emergency.
Homecoming Cut Short
Saneesh had taken a month-long leave from work to spend Onam with his family, according to a relative. However, what was meant to be a joyful homecoming turned into a devastating loss after his family received news of his death at the airport.
“He took leave at this time to celebrate Onam with his family. But instead, we received a call from the airport informing us of his death,” his nephew told Gulf News.
Onam is Kerala’s biggest harvest festival, traditionally celebrated with family feasts, elaborate flower decorations known as pookkalam, boat races and cultural festivities. The festival also commemorates the mythical annual homecoming of King Mahabali.
The UAE is home to around 4.5 million Indian expatriates, with more than one million of them originating from Kerala. Many travel back to India to celebrate Onam with their families, with the festival often coinciding with the summer holiday period. Thiruvonam, the most significant day of the celebrations, falls on August 26 this year.
Family Left in Shock
According to his nephew, Saneesh had spent the past 10 years working in Dubai, building a life abroad while maintaining strong ties with his family and roots in Kerala.
He is survived by his parents, wife and daughter, who all live in Kerala.
His nephew said the family had been eagerly looking forward to welcoming Saneesh home. Instead, their anticipation of a joyful reunion turned into profound shock and grief when his body arrived on the very night they had expected to spend together as a family.
