Lankan found dead in Riyadh hotel

Mohammed Rasooldeen in Riyadh

A Sri Lankan resident of the UAE who came to the Kingdom on business died in a Riyadh hotel on Monday.

Mafaz Mohammed Saleem, 31, was found dead in his hotel room.

Doctors have confirmed the death was due to cardiac failure. Sabarullah Khan, charged de affaires at the Sri Lankan Embassy, said the embassy was coordinating with Government authorities to make the funeral arrangements in Riyadh in deference to the request of the next-of-kin of the deceased.

The deceased’s wife Shazna who flew to Colombo from Dubai, had given her consent through the Foreign Ministry in Colombo to have the burial in Riyadh.

Khan said that the Mission is making arrangements with the Riyadh governorate to get the body cleared from the Government Hospital.

Both husband and wife are from Colombo - 10.

Saleem was employed as a merchandiser by the UAE subsidiary of Al Hokair Group. Mohammed Arooz, a friend of the deceased, said Saleem was suffering from continuous coughing and fever.