Firm mourns workers who “chose to work on a Sunday,” many of whom were recent hires.
Dubai: All seven workers killed in Sunday’s tragic minibus crash on Emirates Road have been formally identified by their employer, bringing closure to a difficult identification process complicated by the severity of injuries, which in some cases made recognition challenging.
As first reported by Gulf News, six of the deceased were Indian expatriates and one was from Sri Lanka. According to the Sharjah-headquartered company, the Indian victims have been identified as Markandey Chauhan (39), Abdul Rasheed (38), Mohammad Saqib (31) — all from Uttar Pradesh — and Saleem Sayyed (51), Abdul Rafiq (37), and Thirupathi Gollapally (23) from Telangana.
The Sri Lankan victim has been identified as Samuvel Rengasami (34) from Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.
A company spokesperson told Gulf News: “Five of the seven were in their thirties. The youngest, Thirupathi Gollapally, had turned 23 just last month. The oldest, Saleem Sayyed, was also born in May, according to his documents. Mohammad Saqib was just weeks away from his 32nd birthday. Except for Thirupathi and Mohammad, all of the deceased were married with families back home.”
He said the workers were employed in roles ranging from helpers to skilled specialists at a construction site in Dubai and were returning to their accommodation in Sharjah on Sunday when the tragedy occurred. The minibus they were travelling in collided with a truck that had stalled on Emirates Road near the Dubai–Sharjah border.
What makes the loss particularly poignant is that their presence at work was voluntary. The company offers optional half-day weekend overtime shifts based on project requirements.
According to the spokesperson, up to 40 workers could have opted to work that day, but only 24 did, including the 16 who were travelling in the minibus along with the driver.
“That shows their dedication at work and care for their families,” he said.
Except for Markandey Chauhan, who had been with the company for more than 10 years, most of the victims were relatively new employees, with some having joined only a few months earlier in pursuit of better opportunities and a more secure future.
The spokesperson said the company has been left devastated by the tragedy and is in a state of profound grief.
“We are all in deep sorrow and shock. Every single soul is valuable to us, and we are mourning the loss of each one of them,” he said. “The circumstances of their passing have been especially heartbreaking, as some of the bodies were disfigured, which made the identification process longer and more difficult.”
He said the families of all the deceased and injured have been informed, and that Dubai Police are also in direct contact with them.
Four still hospitalised
Of the nine injured in the crash, four remain under treatment in two hospitals as of Wednesday night. Three are in intensive care: two are in critical condition, while one is reported to be out of danger. The fourth injured worker is in a stable condition and is being treated in a general ward. The remaining five injured workers have already been discharged.
Dh1 million relief fund
Diplomatic missions representing the nationalities involved are coordinating closely with authorities, the company, and the affected families.
Both the Indian and Sri Lankan Consulates in Dubai are facilitating the disbursement of a Dh1 million relief package announced by Abu Dhabi-based Indian expat businessman and Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and CEO of Burjeel Holdings.
Under the humanitarian programme, the family of each of the seven deceased will receive Dh100,000, while Dh180,000 has been allocated for the nine injured survivors, depending on their medical and recovery needs.
An additional Dh70,000 has been set aside to cover emergency travel and accommodation for family members, and Dh50,000 has been earmarked to support the education of children from the affected families.
The spokesperson said the company is deeply grateful for the gesture.
“Our hearts go out to the families who lost these hardworking members. We are doing everything possible to support all affected families. We are touched by the generous support extended by Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil and would like to thank him wholeheartedly for this noble gesture,” he added.
