Husband arrested in Kerala over Indian expat Athulya’s death in Sharjah, to be released on bail

Dubai: The husband of Keralite woman, Athulya, who was discovered dead on her 30th birthday in Sharjah last month has been arrested upon arrival in India.

According to Malayalam news portal Mathrubhumi, immigration officials at Thiruvananthapuram airport detained Satheesh Shivasankara Pillai shortly after he landed from the UAE.

Following the arrest, he was handed over to the Crime Branch of the State Police Department. He was then taken to Valiyathura police station in Kollam district for further investigation. He remains in custody there.

Police said Satheesh has secured anticipatory bail from the District Court and will have his statement recorded before being released in line with the court’s order.

The Home Department had earlier transferred the case to the State Crime Branch, and a lookout notice had been issued against him in connection with the incident.

The court pointed out that it was a case of suicide as per the forensic report issued by the Sharjah Police and Satheesh had not been arrested in the UAE.

Meanwhile, Athulya’s family is set to appeal against the interim bail.

On 19 July, 30-year-old Athulya, a native of Chavara, Kollam, was discovered dead in her Sharjah apartment. Complaints lodged by her family allege that prolonged harassment and abuse by Satheesh led to her death.

Evidence reportedly includes audio clips in which Athulya confided to friends about the abuse, as well as video footage of the alleged mistreatment.

Satheesh, who was employed as a site engineer in Dubai, was terminated from his job shortly after the incident.