An Indian woman on a visit visa died in Sharjah / Photo: Getty Images
The body of a 31-year-old Indian woman who died in Sharjah was repatriated almost a month later, according to a Gulf News report, after delays caused by financial difficulties and lack of support.The woman, identified as SKJ, was from Kerala and a mother of three children aged 10, 8 and 5 years. She had traveled to the UAE on a visit visa and died in a Sharjah hospital on March 7.According to the Indian Consulate in Dubai, she died of hypovolemic shock following internal bleeding, which led to cardiac and respiratory arrest.Her husband, who works as a daily-wage construction worker in Kerala, told Gulf News that she was hospitalized on February 27 after ingesting a corrosive substance.
He said that the incident occurred after a dispute with a friend, after which she drank an antiseptic cleaning liquid.He also noted that SKJ previously worked at a daycare center in the UAE for a few years. Speaking about her last visit home, he said: “She came home and stayed with us for about two months. Then she came back saying that some people there owed her money. She also promised to find a job and bring me and my children here.”
She had returned to the UAE just one day before Ramadan. Even while in the hospital, she kept in touch with her children. “She was helping the children with English lessons even from the hospital,” her husband said.Since she was on a visitor visa, there was no company responsible for supporting the family after her death. Her husband said arranging to return home was difficult due to financial problems.
“When I checked the ticket prices, they had skyrocketed,” he said. “I don’t have anyone nearby to help me. My brother is building a house with donations from people in our area. My father recently had a stroke and became paralyzed on one side.”He also spoke about the emotional impact on the family, adding: “My little girl doesn’t know yet.”The process finally moved forward after he reached out to Kerala opposition leader V D Sathisean, who put him in touch with people who could help.
Following this recommendation, a Sharjah-based company stepped in to help.“After completing the legal procedures, there was no company to take responsibility because she was on a visit visa, and the family did not have money to repatriate the body, which caused the delay,” Salam Babnisiri, CEO of YAB Legal Services, told Gulf News. “My company helped with the paperwork and financed the repatriation.”Her body was transferred from Sharjah International Airport to Cochin International Airport late on Monday evening, ending a long and difficult wait for the family.
