DUBAI: A 28-year-old engineer, Nithin Chandran died in his sleep at his home in Dubai, UAE, according to a media report on Monday. Sources say that Nithin Chandran, a Keralite was under the treatment for high blood pressure and a heart condition and is suspected to have died due to cardiac arrest while asleep.

Nithin and his wife Athira Geetha Sreedharan has hit the headlines after Athira filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India seeking help to allow her to fly back to Kerala for her delivery due in the first week of July. Generally, flights restrict the travel of pregnant women, a few months before the due date.

Nithin, a mechanical engineer at a construction company in Dubai whereas Athira worked as an electronics and communication engineer at an IT equipment company in Dubai. With the intervention of the Consul General of India in Dubai, Vipul, Athira was sent back to Kerala on the first day of repatriation from Dubai on May 7 under the Vande Bharat Mission. Nithin stayed back in Dubai after sending his wife. Nithin had told the Gulf News in April that he just want Athira to be repatriated safely to Kerala.

Bibin Jacob, a friend of Nithin Chandran, said that, "We got to know about the death of Nithin from one of his friends, Praveen, who had moved into Nithin's apartment just a couple of days as he was alone after Athira went home."

He said that the couple used to take part in social service activities. Jacob asserted that, "His work had been hectic these days. He even discussed with me about resigning and going back home. But whenever he managed to get some time, he came for food kit distribution. He was one of our main coordinators for blood donation here."

Vipul quoted that, " Iam shocked to hear about the demise of Nithin whose wife is pregnant and was among the first one to be repatriated on Vande Bharat Mission." He further added that, "Nithin worked a lot for the community, especially arranging blood donation camps and volunteering during COVID situation. I give my sincere condolences to the family and hope that they are able to withstand this big and untimely loss."

The dead body of Nithin was shifted to Rashid Hospital from his apartment. Before shifting the body to police mortuary, the blood sample will be collected to test for COVID-19. Further details are awaited.