visa
The two sisters with officials and their grandparents after receiving their gold card. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: The UAE has granted the Gold Visa to two Indian sisters and their grandparents after their parents were murdered in a gated community in Dubai.

Dubai Police, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA), welcomed the two Indian sisters and their grandparents and handed over the Gold Visa to them. The move is aimed at facilitating the sisters to continue with their studies in the UAE. Dubai Police proceeded with the paperwork after knowing that their late father’s wish was for them to complete their studies in the UAE.

Earlier on June 17 this year, a Pakistani worker killed Indian couple Hiren, 48 and Vidhi Adhiya, 40, in the bedroom of their villa at the Arabian Ranches.

Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, Commander-In-Chief at Dubai Police and Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA-Dubai with other senior officials handed over the gold visa card to the Indian sisters and their grandparents at the GDRFA-Dubai headquarters.

According to Dubai Police, they were in contact with the two sisters after the incident and worked hard to bring the girls back to Dubai from their home country with their grandparents. Dubai Police provided full scholarships to the girls from the Canadian University and Repton School in Dubai as well as a place to live with their grandparents to fulfil their father’s wish.

“Granting the gold visa card to the orphan sisters is part of the humanitarian initiative of the UAE to ensure happiness to the community members. Dubai Police and GDRFA-Dubai contributed in putting a smile on their faces through an extinguish and humanitarian gesture,” Lt Gen Al Merri said.

Moreover, Maj Gen Al Marri General Director of GDRFA-Dubai, said they worked to ease the procedures to bring the girls back to the country and grant them the gold visa cards. “The gesture is part of the community and humanitarian efforts by the department and Dubai Police for decent life to every citizen and resident. Granting the gold visa card to them will reduce their sufferings,” Maj Gen Al Marri said.

“GDRFA has facilitated the arrival of the two orphaned girls and granted them and their grandparents golden visa cards to enjoy a decent life within a coherent environment.”

Brigadier Jamal Al Jallaf, Director of Criminal Investigation Department at Dubai Police, lauded the collaborative efforts of all parties for the orphaned girls. “The collective efforts by various public and private parties involving in the initiative have contributed to preserving the family fabric and ensuring the happiness of the orphaned girls,” Brig Al Jallaf added.

Father’s wish fulfilled

Brigadier Ahmad Rafee, Director of Administrative Affairs Department in Dubai Police, said the late father’s wish for his daughters was to complete their study in Dubai.

Dubai Police’s ‘Victim Support’ programme followed up with the girls after the death of their parents and provided mental support while they were in Dubai.

Dubai Police issued special permits for the girl to return to India in cooperation with the Indian authorities during the lockdown of airspace in the world due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Captain Abdullah Al Sheikh, from the police programme said that police kept contacting the girls while they are in India when they told them about their father’s wish. “Dubai Police was keen to fulfil the late father’s wish by searching for scholarships in Dubai and contacting GDRFA-Dubai for the gold visa cards,” Captain Al Sheikh said.

Scholarships

Dr Karim Chelli, President and Chair of the Canadian University in Dubai, expressed his happiness of participating in the humanitarian’s gesture by providing a four-years scholarship for the elder sister at the college of engineering and bear all the cost of her study that amounts up to Dh300,000.

Meanwhile, David Cook, principle of Repton School in Dubai, praised the noble role of the gesture in supporting the two girls saying the school will provide full scholarship for the youngest sister until she finished graduate from the school. “The girl was studying at Repton school and it is part of our humanitarian responsibility to stand with the girl and provide all the support she needs,” Cook said in a statement.

The murder

On that fateful night of June 18, the Indian expatriates Hiren Adhiya and Vidhi Adhiya were killed by a Pakistani worker who break into their house for robbery.

The defendant, who had done some maintenance jobs at their villa a year earlier, had been stalking the family for some time after he saw a lot of loose cash at the house.

The worker stabbed the husband 10 times, the wife another 14 times as they tried to get away. Both died of their injuries. He also stabbed the elder daughter as he sought to escape, but she survived the ordeal and managed to call the police. The worker was arrested within 24 hours.

The defendant has been on trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance after public prosecution charged him with premeditated murder, attempted murder and robbery.