Indian expat Athulya’s death in Sharjah: Re-postmortem reveals 46 injuries, strangulation

Dubai: The re-postmortem conducted in Kollam, Kerala, has brought new details to light in the case of Athulya Sekhar, an Indian expat who was found dead in her Sharjah apartment on her 30th birthday, which also marked her first day at a new job in July.

According to a Manorama News report, the examination revealed that her body had 46 injuries, ranging from minor to severe, many of which appear to have been inflicted in the hours to several days before her death.

Crucially, the re-postmortem concluded that Athulya died from strangulation, raising the possibility of murder or suicide. Her earlier post-mortem in the UAE had recorded hanging as the cause of death, reinforcing the family’s suspicions of foul play. The combination of multiple injuries over time and the strangulation finding has strengthened calls for a comprehensive investigation into whether her death was a suicide or deliberate homicide.

Despite the new findings, the Kerala Crime Branch continued to consider Athulya’s death a suicide. Investigators had not yet received the full post-mortem details from the UAE, which had issued a death certificate citing hanging as the cause.

More footage showing Athulya being assaulted by her husband, Satheesh Sivasankara Pillai, has been submitted to a court in Kerala, where the trial is ongoing.

According to local media reports last week, Athulya’s family told the court that the videos included threats by Satheesh to kill her and were recorded just days before her death. In the clips, Athulya reportedly stated that she had endured ten years of abuse.

The videos, released by Reporter TV, show Satheesh repeatedly using abusive and terrifying language. While Athulya attempted to record the harassment, she was subjected to physical assault. The footage shows her being forced to run around a table, beaten, and crying as a result of the assault. "Where can you go? I won’t let you go anywhere… I will stab you to death… I will give quotation to kill you, and I do not need even one month of my salary for that."

Additional footage showing Athulya being assaulted has been submitted to a court in Kerala, where a trial is ongoing. The family informed the court that the videos, recorded just days before her death, contain threats to kill her, and that Athulya had endured ten years of abuse. 

The family stated that Satheesh had also assaulted Athulya with a belt and requested that his bail be revoked, while the defence argued that the footage was old. The family handed over Athulya’s phone to the police, hoping it would provide crucial evidence. Satheesh reportedly attempted to unlock the device, but repeated incorrect passwords blocked access. Following the release of the abuse videos and related reports, Satheesh was terminated from his role as a site engineer in Dubai.

Satheesh was taken into custody at Thiruvananthapuram airport on August 10 after returning from the UAE but was later released on anticipatory bail. The family has requested the cancellation of his bail, citing the abuse footage and re-postmortem findings, and maintains that domestic and psychological abuse led to Athulya’s death. The case continues to be investigated by the Kerala Crime Branch. After Satheesh’s release, the family expressed hope that evidence from Athulya’s phone would play a crucial role in the case. Her Sharjah-based brother-in-law, who wished to remain anonymous, said the family remained hopeful that justice would be served.

An inquest and re-postmortem were conducted at Government Medical College and Hospital, Parippally, Kollam. The case was handed over to the Kerala Crime Branch, which formed a special investigation team (SIT) under an Assistant Superintendent of Police to handle challenges related to extradition and issuing lookout notices in the UAE.

Despite the new findings, the Crime Branch continued to treat Athulya’s death as a suspected suicide, as investigators had not yet received full post-mortem details from the UAE. The court was scheduled to consider the investigation team’s application regarding Satheesh’s custody on September 8.

Satheesh faces multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:

He also faces charges under the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Athulya was discovered hanging in her Sharjah flat on her 30th birthday, the day she was set to start a new job. While UAE authorities initially ruled it a suicide, her family suspected foul play due to a history of abuse. Her body was repatriated to Kerala on July 29.  Athulya was laid to rest in Chavara, with her 10-year-old daughter performing the final rites. The couple’s only child, a 10-year-old daughter, lives with Athulya’s parents. The family and public expressed outrage following the release of the disturbing footage.