The half-naked body of an 11-year-old Russian boy has been found under mysterious circumstances on the rooftop of a building in Abu Dhabi. Reports state that the boy went missing on Tuesday afternoon, and the family found his body the next morning.
"He was fasting and he went to the masjid [mosque] for Asr prayers and Quran recitation and then went missing. Some neighbours saw him returning from the masjid but he never reached home," the boy's father, Dr Majid Janjua, told Gulf News.
Janjua said that he looked for his son, Azan Majid Janjua, a fifth grader, everywhere but could not find him.
"I was shocked to know that AC technicians, who went to our building's rooftop to check a malfunctioning chiller, found his body there around 10 am [on Wednesday]," Janjua said. "His body was half-naked. His Quran was beside him," he said.
Janjua said that Azan was religious and was eager to fast and pray regularly during Ramadan. "He was keen to recite the Quran at the masjid and stayed back after the prayers," Janjua said.
Janjua added that Azan was very special to him because he was his first son born to his first wife, a Russian national, whom he met while studying medicine in Russia. Azan, who was also a Russian national, used to live with his mother in Russia.
"As part of a mutual agreement with his mother, he started living with me around two-and-a-half years ago. His mother would visit him often; she was here for a visit on the day he went missing," he explained.
The father has been living with his second wife and his two young children in the building, where Azan's body was found, for the past six years.
"Since he came to stay with me, I taught him everything — religious practices and tips on how to protect himself," he said. "We had a nice time since Azan joined us. He liked his younger siblings," he added.
The father also said that Azad was a disciplined boy, and was not in the habit of roaming around. "He never went outside without our permission," Janjua said.
The boy's family said that the police are investigating the matter. Abu Dhabi Police, however, was not available for comment.
