Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 A month after the death of Chavara native Athulya Shekhar (29) in Sharjah, Kerala Police on Sunday detained her husband Satheesh (40), the sole accused in the case, at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
Police said Satheesh, who arrived from the UAE, will be handed over to Thekkumbhagam Police in Kollam district, which had registered a case against him under Sections relating to murder, cruelty, voluntarily causing hurt, and relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
According to Thekkumbhagam police, Satheesh had already secured anticipatory bail from the District Court.
"We will record his statement and release him on bail as per the court's direction," a senior officer said.
The State Home Department has since transferred the investigation to the State Crime Branch. The case began after Athulya's parents lodged a complaint alleging that she was subjected to repeated harassment, physical abuse, and dowry-related demands by Satheesh.
They claimed that their daughter often confided in them about the abuse, and that they had repeatedly urged her to leave him.
Athulya's death on July 19 sent shockwaves through her native village. She was found hanging inside her apartment in Sharjah. Her mortal remains were repatriated to Kerala the same day, and a post-mortem examination was conducted at Parippally Medical College.
While Sharjah Police have reportedly classified the death as a case of suicide, Athulya's family insists that the abuse she endured drove her to take the extreme step. They also alleged that Satheesh's violent behaviour had been escalating in recent months.
In his statement to the media earlier, Satheesh denied responsibility for his wife's death but admitted to physically assaulting and abusing her.
"I am not the reason for her death," he said, adding that there were "differences" in their marriage.
The incident has reignited debates in Kerala over domestic violence, dowry harassment, and the challenges of prosecuting such cases when they occur abroad.
Women's rights groups have called for a thorough probe, noting that overseas deaths of Indian women are often hastily labelled suicides without examining possible abuse.
The State Crime Branch is expected to question Satheesh in detail in the coming days.
Officials said they will also seek further information from Sharjah authorities to establish the exact circumstances surrounding Athulya's death.
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