DUBAI: Joy Arakkal, famous Indian industrialist and owner of Innova Refining & Trading Company, who died a week ago, had committed suicide, confirmed the Dubai police. He took the extreme step by jumping from the 14th floor of his friend’s building, said Brigadier Abdullah Khadim Bin Sorour, said director of Bur Dubai Police Station. The police dismissed the claim that there is a conspiracy behind the incident.

Consul General of India in Dubai Vipul said all arrangements are being taken to fly his body home at Mananthavady in Kerala. His house in Mananthavady is one of the biggest in Kerala with a square feet of 45,000 and has named it as the ‘Arakkal Palace’. Joy Arakkal had received many awards and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had honoured him at a function held in Dubai recently.

The body will be flown to his hometown in a special chartered flight along with his family. The Indian authorities had given permission for it. As soon as permission is obtained from UAE authorities, the body will be flown to Bengaluru and from there to Kerala. M K Raghavan MP and R Harikumar of Elite Group in the UAE, offered great support for getting approvals from Indian authorities.

The family members would follow the quarantine procedures as per the government rules on reaching Kerala. Joy had built houses for the poor and also funded weddings of several in his hometown. His death is a shock for many.

Arakkal is survived by wife Celine Joy and children Arun and Ashley.