‘Am fine’: Karnataka man texted from Sharjah. By then his body was in 9 pieces

July 20 was the last time Anil Kunder spoke to his younger brother, Alwin, who lived in Sharjah. When repeated calls to Alwin’s phone went unanswered, Anil suspected something amiss and alerted his friend, asking him to check his whereabouts.

Although initial reports suggested Alwin had left for India, Anil remained unconvinced. Weeks later, his fears were confirmed when Alwin’s body, cut into nine pieces, was recovered from the boot of his car on August 12. Alwin, a 51-year-old from Kundapur in Karnataka’s Udupi district, had been working at Sharjah Airport for around 14 years.

He lived in Sharjah with his wife, Tina, a teacher from Udyavara in Udupi, and their son, a Class 10 student. The couple had been married for around 20 years. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Anil said Alwin did not answer his calls after July 20 but sent messages saying he was fine.

“This was unusual because he would normally send voice messages. I asked him to call me and told him that even five minutes would be enough, but there was no response after that,” Anil said. As his concern grew, Anil contacted Alwin’s friend, Manohar, in Sharjah and asked him to visit his brother’s flat.

According to Anil, the watchman told Manohar that Alwin and his family had gone to India. HR officials at Alwin’s company also initially told the family that he had travelled to India. However, Anil allegedly informed them that his brother had not returned and requested that they verify his travel details.

A passport check subsequently indicated that Alwin had not travelled to India, following which a missing persons complaint was filed in Sharjah on July 30, Anil said. According to a letter the family received from authorities in Sharjah, Alwin’s body was recovered on August 12 from the boot of his own car, which was found on a road towards Oman.

The body had been cut into nine pieces and placed in two jute bags, his brother said. Anil said the family received Alwin’s death certificate after authorities in Sharjah verified his identity, the body and the car in connection with the complaint he had filed.

He also said CCTV footage reviewed by authorities reportedly showed three people carrying the bags and placing them in the car. The circumstances leading to Alwin’s death and the identity of those responsible are yet to be established.

Anil said the family suspects that his mobile phone may have been handed over to another person, and that the messages sent to the family after July 20 may not have been sent by him. Tina and their son’s whereabouts are unknown, Anil said.

The family suspects that they may have travelled to India, but have not been able to establish their current location. Anil said the family has no information about any dispute between the couple and is unaware of the circumstances in which Tina and their son left Sharjah.

Alwin’s family has approached authorities in Sharjah for details about the investigation and has also sought assistance from the Udupi police. Sources said that Anil recently met the Udupi superintendent of police and submitted a representation, but the police have yet to confirm this development.

The family is now completing formalities in the UAE before Alwin’s remains can be brought home.