Sharjah deaths of Kerala woman, child: Lookout Notice issued against Indian expat husband in UAE

Sharjah: A Lookout Notice has been issued against the husband of a Kerala woman and her young daughter, whose deaths in Sharjah in July shocked both the Indian expat community in the UAE and their home state in south India.

Malayalam media outlets have reported that the Kerala State Police Crime Branch, which is spearheading the case, has secured a Lookout Circular (LOC), commonly referred to as a Lookout Notice, against Vipanchika’s husband, who lives in the UAE.

The move aims to prevent the accused from fleeing justice and to ensure he faces questioning in Kerala in the case registered based on the complaint from the woman’s mother, Shailaja.

Tragedy in Sharjah

Vipanchika and Vaibhavi were found dead in their Al Nahda apartment in Sharjah on July 8. The forensic report issued by authorities in Sharjah confirmed that the child was suffocated to death, and her mother died by hanging.

Their bodies were discovered after Vipanchika’s maid noticed the flat was locked from inside and received no response from the mother and child. She then alerted Vipanchika’s husband, who had allegedly been living separately, and the bodies were discovered.

While the child’s body was laid to rest in Dubai by the father’s family, Vipanchika’s remains were repatriated to Kerala by her family. The Kerala Police, which conducted a second postmortem, are now investigating the possibility of abetment and foul play in the dowry case.

Probe in Kerala

Vipanchika’s husband and his family members, including his father and sister, are facing a case based on the complaint that alleged she had ended her life due to prolonged domestic abuse.

A hand-written suicide note, believed to have been written by Vipanchika and shared on social media, added weight to her family’s claims.

The six-page note painted a harrowing picture of alleged dowry harassment and domestic abuse. It accused her husband, his sister and father of sustained mental and physical cruelty, including physical assaults during pregnancy.

Investigation intensified

Latest Malayalam media reports said the Crime Branch has recorded the statement of Vipanchika’s maid and is planning steps to bring her husband back to Kerala for interrogation.

Officers are also working to conduct forensic analysis of Vipanchika’s laptop, which may contain crucial digital evidence, including the original version of her Facebook note, that was reportedly deleted later, the reports said.

Recent cases involving LOCs

In the case of Athulya Sekhar, another Kerala woman who was found dead in her Sharjah apartment on her 30th birthday on July 19, her husband, Satheesh Sivasankara Pillai, was detained at Thiruvananthapuram airport upon his return from the UAE.

A Lookout Notice had been issued against him following allegations of domestic abuse leading to Athulya's death. He was later released on anticipatory bail, but the case remains under investigation by the Kerala Crime Branch.

In a separate case, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband, Raj Kundra, are under investigation for their alleged involvement in a Rs600 million fraud case. Reports said the Mumbai Police have issued a Lookout Notice against both individuals to prevent them from fleeing the country.