DUBAI // A mother whose husband hanged himself and whose daughter was suffocated thinks both are still alive, her relatives said yesterday.
Sreesha Nambiar, 29, was found by police on Saturday in the bathroom of the family’s flat in Bur Dubai, with her wrists slit. Her daughter Avantika had been suffocated with a pillow and her husband hanged himself shortly after she was killed.
Police still do not know who was responsible for killing the six-year-old girl – she was previously reported to be 4 – or whether the mother will face charges related to her death. Mrs Nambiar will face a charge of trying to commit suicide, police said. If convicted, she could be fined up to Dh5,000 and jailed for six months.
Brig Khalil Al Mansouri, the head of Dubai Police CID, said the case had been referred to Public Prosecution, who will decide whether to press further charges.
Mrs Nambiar has been transferred to the psychiatric ward at Rashid Hospital, and will be assessed there.
A relative who has been visiting her in hospital said she repeatedly asked for the whereabouts of her husband, Rijesh Nambiar.
“She has been asking why he hasn’t come to see her,” said a family member.
“In fact, she has told one of the nurses that it was her husband who brought her to the hospital. She seems to think Avantika is in the after-school day care.”
The relative added: “I spent some time with her and she asked me about my wife’s health, but she does not seem to remember what has happened to her husband and child.”
Mrs Nambiar worked for the past four years as an accounts co-ordinator at Al Reyami Interiors. Her colleagues will hold a prayer meeting today to mark her birthday.
“She is a softly spoken, friendly person,” said a colleague, Ranjith Chandran.
“She never disclosed her problems to anyone. We can’t imagine what happened to her.
"Her husband was also well known to us. He worked on a project with us for two to three months. He was a very humble person."
Officials from the Indian consulate visited Mrs Nambiar on Sunday. The Indian ambassador, MK Lokesh, said the mission would provide her with legal assistance as needed.
Her family have also approached the Indian minister of overseas affairs, Vayalar Ravi, for help to expedite repatriation of the two bodies.
pkannan@thenational.ae
frahman@thenational.ae
