Man runs on runway at Sharjah airport to catch flight to meet fiancee

Indian civil engineer had no passport or ticket with hopes to travel home

SHARJAH: An Indian civil engineer who sneaked on to the Sharjah International Airport runway and created quite the scene said that he acted out love for his fiancee and that "I am a free man and our life is ours to do what we want".

The 26-year-old said that he was in the most difficult position in the UAE as he loved his fiancée but was unable to go meet her. He stated that he talked to his company over 15 times to get the permission for a visit home, but his relative who also operates the firm refused to grant his request.

"I cannot live without my fiancée and want to convince my parents to give us permission to marry," he added.

Sharjah police arrested the man, identified as RK, after he jumped over the airport wall and breached the runway, with the aim to board a plan without his passport, which was kept by his employer.

The accused engineer said, “"I want to say I'm a free man and our life is ours. I did this act because I wanted to travel back to India to meet my fiancee, whatever the price I have to pay."



During the Sharjah Sharia Court hearing, presided by Judge Mahamood Abu Baker, the accused said the on the day this event happened, he took none of his belonging, taking only his wallet and went straight to the airport at night. At that moment, he decided to take a chance to either travel without his passport or if caught, ready to be tried in court, get his passport and be deported from the country anyway.

His parents do not accept his choice, while his fiancee’s parents have no issues with the couple.  "But I want my family to agree, because I want to get married only with their precious blessings. Why do parents behave negatively? They should think about the happiness of their children. It's the children's right to marry anyone of their choice."

RK said that he had no regrets on facing any legal actions at the moment, but only wants to go home in order to get married after everything has blown over.

The only thing that triggered anger into him was that his firm still kept his passport against his will, in violation of the UAE law.

This article originally appeared on Khaleej Times.