Thiruvananthapuram: The mortal remains of a UAE-based Kerala businessman arrived at the Kozhikode airport here on Thursday night. Joy Arakkal, 54, died in UAE, last Thursday. According to a report quoting Dubai Police, it was a case of suicide, as he jumped from the 14th floor of a building, due to financial reasons.
Arakkal had a business in the Middle East and was engaged in dealing with petroleum products in a big way with numerous facilities of his across the countries there. He was in the news last year when his 45,000 sq ft mansion modelled on the lines of a ship was built at Manathavady in Wayanad district.
Arakkal was a hugely popular figure in the hilly district due to the various charity activities that he was involved in. The untimely demise of the businessman came as a shock to all those who knew him and for many in the district who had received his help.
The body was accompanied by his wife and two sons.
The Centre had granted a special sanction for this air operation, as all the four airports in the state are closed for normal operations on account of the lockdown. Arakkal’s last rites would be held at Manathavady on Friday.
