UAE: Indian expat woman from Kerala found dead in Sharjah on 30th birthday, day of joining new job

Sharjah: An Indian expat woman from Kerala was found dead in in her Sharjah apartment early Saturday, coinciding with her 30^th birthday and the first day of a new job, her family has confirmed to Gulf News.

The deceased, Athulya Sekhar, was found dead in her flat in Rolla area, according to her sister and brother-in-law living Sharjah.

The death of the mother to a 10-year-old girl has sent fresh shockwaves through the expat community from the south Indian state in the UAE.

The tragedy comes just weeks after the highly publicised death of another 32-year-old Malayali woman, and her 16-month-old daughter in Sharjah, in what the police said was a murder-suicide. The forensic report had confirmed that the woman had died by hanging herself after suffocating the child to death on July 8. The incident had reportedly stemmed from marital conflicts.

Case against husband

Athulya’s death has sparked serious allegations of domestic abuse by her husband. Her parents living in Kollam district in Kerala have filed a case against the civil engineer working in Dubai and her family members here are in the process of filing a complaint against her husband in the UAE as well.

“We will be visiting the Sharjah Police for completing the formalities of filing the case tomorrow. We are also approaching the Indian Consulate in Dubai,” her brother-in-law said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Press Wing of the Indian Consulate said in a statement to Gulf News" "We express our sincere condolences to the family of Ms Athulya Sekhar. Our team is in touch with the family and Sharjah authorities. We are extending all the possible help."

According to the family, Athulya and her daughter used to live in Kerala and used to visit her husband earlier. “Both Athulya and her daughter have UAE residence visa. But, it was only some months ago that Athulya started staying with her husband here, leaving her daughter with her parents back home,” he added.

Gulf News has reached out to Sharjah Police, which is investigating the case, for comment.

Counter claims

Meanwhile, speaking to Malayalam media outlets in the UAE, Athulya’s husband denied any involvement in her death, though he admitted to having physically abused her in the past.

He claimed he was not at home when the incident occurred. “We have only one key and it was with her. When I returned, I found the door open and her body was already cold,” he told reporters.

He alleged that Athulya had been increasingly distant in recent months, adding that she had started sleeping separately and had even undergone an abortion back home in November last year without his consent.