Kerala women’s deaths: New platform for Indian expats in UAE to resolve family disputes

Sharjah: In the wake of recent tragic deaths of Indian expat women from Kerala in the UAE, the Indian Association Sharjah (IAS) has stepped up efforts to support expat families by launching a new platform aimed at resolving family disputes.

In response to the rising number of family-related conflicts, IAS is in the process of launching a 'Family Dispute Redressal Session', scheduled to take place weekly on Saturdays at the IAS premises, the association’s president Nissar Thalangara announced in a media statement.

Speaking to Gulf News, he said the association aims to launch the sessions on August 2.

The announcement followed a meeting held at the IAS office in Sharjah on Wednesday. The president and senior members of the association met with officials from the Sharjah Police’s Community Preventive and Protection Department, according to the statement.

The delegation from the department, comprising Major Nazeer Bin Ahamed, Captain Ghanima Essa and Inspector Awad Mohammed, visited the President's office for an in-depth discussion on key issues affecting the Indian expat community, it said.

“The dialogue focused on a range of growing concerns including family disputes, domestic unrest, cases of suicide, and incidents of domestic violence and marital discord.”

Thalangara said the police delegation expressed their commitment to working closely with the association.

“We are heartened by the proactive approach and strong support extended by the police officials who have assured their full cooperation in addressing such sensitive issues. They have offered to assist affected families through professional counselling, structured guidance, and comprehensive support systems designed to promote amicable and constructive resolution."

Sharjah Police already provide dedicated family support services through the Social Services Department / Child and Family Protection Centre, addressing domestic violence, family disputes, and child abuse with confidential counselling and legal aid.

A 24/7 helpline (800700) ensures immediate assistance, supported by trained officers and public awareness efforts to promote family safety across the emirate.

Thalangara stated that the new initiative by the IAS would be led by a panel of experienced community leaders and counsellors. These sessions aim to provide affected families with professional counselling.

The urgency for such a platform comes after the recent deaths of two Kerala women in Sharjah which raised the need for better awareness and mechanisms to deal with marital conflicts and toxic relationships.

In the first case, a 32-year-old mother reportedly killed her 16-month -old baby girl before ending her own life. In just a couple of weeks, another woman, Athulya Sekhar, was found dead at her accommodation on her 30th birthday and the first day of a new job.

Families have alleged long-standing domestic violence in both the cases and filed complaints against the husbands. Subsequently, Athulya’s husband Satheesh Sivasankara Pillai was terminated from his job as a site engineer with a building contracting company.

Speaking to Gulf News, Thalangara explained that the new initiative aims to provide a timely and culturally sensitive forum to address these issues before they escalate, offering hope to many families in distress.

“We have 15 to 20 school counsellors from the Sharjah Indian School, managed by our association. We will select a panel to take up cases every Saturday, with morning and evening sessions planned.”

He added that cases that are unresolved after counselling would be referred to the Indian Consulate in Dubai, which has pledged full support.

The consulate already offers free psychological counselling to end marital disputes. Sessions can be booked via the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) which operates a 24x7 helpline 800-India (800-46342).