Indian Mother's Body Finally Repatriated from Sharjah After Month-Long Ordeal
The body of a 31-year-old Indian woman who passed away in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, has been sent back to her home in Kerala after a delay of nearly one month. The prolonged wait was primarily caused by severe financial difficulties and a lack of institutional support, as the woman was traveling on a visit visa at the time of her death.
Tragic Details of the Case Emerge
Identified as SKJ, the deceased was a mother to three young children aged 10, eight, and five years old. She had traveled to the UAE on a visit visa and was admitted to a hospital in Sharjah on February 27 after consuming a corrosive substance. According to her husband, who works as a daily wage mason in Kerala, the incident occurred following a dispute with a friend, after which she ingested a disinfectant liquid cleaner.
SKJ tragically died at the hospital on March 7. The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed that her death resulted from hypovolaemic shock due to internal bleeding, which ultimately led to cardiorespiratory arrest.
Family's Financial and Emotional Struggles
Since SKJ was on a visit visa, there was no sponsoring company or employer responsible for assisting her family after her death. Her husband described the immense challenges in arranging repatriation, citing skyrocketing airfare costs and a lack of close relatives to help. He explained, "When I checked the ticket rates, they had skyrocketed. I don't have anyone close to help me. My brother is building a house with donations from people in our area. My father recently had a stroke and is paralysed on one side."
The emotional toll on the family has been profound. The husband added, "My youngest doesn't know yet," referring to their five-year-old child who remains unaware of the mother's passing.
Background of the Deceased and Her Final Days
SKJ had previously worked at a daycare centre in the UAE for a couple of years. Her husband recalled her last visit home, stating, "She came home and stayed with us for nearly two months. Then she went back, saying some people there owed her money. She also promised to find a job and bring me and the children over." She had returned to the UAE just one day before Ramadan began.
Even during her hospital stay, SKJ maintained contact with her children, assisting them with their English lessons remotely. "She used to help the children with their English lessons even from the hospital," her husband shared, highlighting her dedication as a mother.
Intervention and Resolution
The repatriation process finally gained momentum after the husband reached out to Kerala Opposition Leader VD Satheesan. Satheesan connected him with individuals who could provide assistance. Following this recommendation, a Sharjah-based firm, YAB Legal Services, stepped in to help.
Salam Pappinissery, CEO of YAB Legal Services, explained the situation: "After the legal procedures were completed, there was no company to take responsibility since she was on a visit visa, and the family had no money to repatriate the body, which is what caused the delay. My firm helped with the paperwork and funded the repatriation."
Her body was eventually flown from Sharjah International Airport to Cochin International Airport late on Monday night, concluding a long and arduous wait for the grieving family.
