DUBAI // A retired Emirati police officer on holiday in India has mysteriously disappeared from the southern city of Hyderabad.
Saleh Rashed Ali Saleh Al Abdouli, 47, from Fujairah, went missing nearly a week ago after he went out for a morning walk from his wife's family home, and he has not been seen since. Mr Al Abdouli had arrived in the city with his wife, son and six daughters on July 8.
"He went for a walk on July 29 at around 9am," said Mahesh Goud, sub inspector at the Langer House police station. "After that he did not return. He was not carrying any telephone with him and he is new to the area."
Mr Abdouli's family lodged a missing persons report two days later. Investigators have ruled out kidnapping as there has been no ransom demand. "Our investigations are on. We have circulated his pictures among 64 of our police stations with descriptions of what he was wearing," said Rambabu, a sub inspector investigating the case.
Mr Al Abdouli's anxious family members have distributed his picture to hotels, hospitals and mosques, urging people to contact them if they had any information. "We have checked every hospital," said his wife, Imtiaz Bhanu, 37. "I am really worried.
"My entire family and friends are looking for him. He doesn't know the language and speaks only Arabic. He is not that familiar with the place."
Mrs Bhanu said her husband often went for walks in the area. "The morning he left, we were all sleeping because it is Ramadan.
"My mother saw him leave and thought he would be back soon. But I started getting worried when he hadn't returned by noon. I tried reaching him on his mobile phone but realised he had left it at home."
Her husband had more than 25,000 Indian rupees (Dh1,637) with him on the day he disappeared.
"If it was kidnapping, there would have been calls. Maybe he decided to travel outside the city and will be back when his money is exhausted. He cannot leave the country as his passport is with me and we have notified the airport authorities," she said.
The trip to India is the first time Mr Abdouli has travelled outside the UAE. The family were scheduled to return to the UAE on September 7.
They have notified the UAE consulate in Mumbai, which is assisting them.