Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai (MS)

Dubai, June 16: In a heart-wrenching incident that occurred in the city on Saturday, June 15, a six-year-old boy of Indian origin, who fell asleep in the school bus died due to suffocation as he was left in the bus for several hours.

Mohammed Farhan Faisal (6), who is a native of Kerala, was studying in the Islamic center at Al Quoz in the city. He dozed off in the bus after boarding it on the way to school. The boy was left behind in the bus as the driver did not notice his presence after all the other students alighted from the vehicle.

The victim boy was found inside the bus when the driver came to take out the bus to drop the other students back home after the school hours. The matter was informed to the police at 3 pm.

Farhan was the youngest of three children of parents who are long time residents of the city and they live in Karama. His father Faisal has several businesses in Dubai as well as in Kerala.

A close friend of the family, on condition of anonymity, said, "Just in the past week I came across this family at a get together. The boy was really bright. His parents are in shock."

The body of the young boy was shifted to the post mortem after the primary police investigations were over.

According to a police official, the body will be handed over to the family after all the legal and administrative formalities are completed.

In the past also UAE has witnessed similar incidents. In 2014, a student of KG 1 of Al Worood Academy private school in the capital city of Abu Dhabi died due to suffocation as he was left inside the school bus. The news had sent shock waves in the country and discussion were held with regards to the safety of children in the school buses.

In 2018, another KG 1 student was not noticed to be still inside the bus by the driver and conductor. The child though was inside the bus for over four hours, fortunately survived.