Finnish man jumps to death at T3

Reportedly mentally challenged, 27-year-old was found loitering shirtless before he jumped from the multilevel parking at IGIA

A 27-year-old man of Finnish origin, reportedly mentally challenged, jumped to death from a multilevel parking at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Sunday afternoon, the police said.

HT Image

The victim, according to the police, had been handed over to the embassy concerned after being spotted shirtless early during the day but had managed to find his way back to the airport hours later.

Arttu Karlella, according to RA Sanjeev, DCP (IGIA), had travelled to the Capital on a valid tourist visa in December last year. He leaped from the sixth floor of the parking located at Terminal 3 (T3) at 1.30pm.

“Karlella, apparently devoid of his shirt, was first sighted loitering at T3 around 7.30am by onlookers who intimated the police control room. We identified him through his passport and since he was exhibiting abnormal behaviour, we contacted the Finnish Embassy,” said a senior police officer.

However, when no one from the embassy turned up to pick him up, the police claimed Karlella was driven to the embassy, handed over to its officials and a written receipt, to this effect, was procured by the officers escorting him, at 9.30am.

Five hours later, according to the lone guard deputed at the floor from where Karlella had jumped, told the police that he had been strolling around before finding his way to the ledge and leaping to his death.

“Some hours later, when we reached the said parking to investigate the suicide, it turned out to be Karlella. How he managed to make his way back to the airport is the question,” the officer said.

While no suicide note was found with him, sources claimed that they had recovered a diary of sorts ‘with drawings and other material that implies he was mentally challenged’.

According to the police, Karlella had reached the Capital on December 31 last year and had a tourist visa valid till June 30, 2012.