In a case that grabbed headlines, Shahzadi Khan who was executed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the death of a child, has been buried in Abu Dhabi on March 6.

Another Indian national Muhammed Rinash Arangilottu was also buried in Abu Dhabi the same day in keeping with local regulations, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Shahzadi’s case made headlines after her family made a big effort to save her. However, she was executed on February 15. It has also now come to light that two Indian men had also been executed in Feb after being convicted of murder.

Khan was buried in Abu Dhabi according to the regulations of UAE authorities, the MEA said. Prior to the burial, authorised representatives of Khan’s family paid their last respects. They also attended funeral prayers at a mosque and the burial at Baniyas cemetery.

Officials of the Indian embassy assisted the representatives of Khan’s family and attended the last rites, the ministry said.

Her father Shabbir Khan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Banda, had said there was “profound uncertainty” regarding his daughter’s situation and his repeated applications to the Ministry of External Affairs for clarification were fruitless. He later moved the courts seeking clarity in his daughter’s matter but it proved to be too late.

Arangilottu was also buried on Thursday and members of his family were present to pay their last respects and participate in the prayers.

Though Khan was executed on February 15, the Indian embassy was informed only on February 28 that the death sentence had been carried out.

Arangilottu and Muraleedharan Perumthatta Valappil were convicted of murder and given death sentences. The highest court of the UAE, the Court of Cassation, upheld their sentences, the ministry said.

The Indian embassy provided all possible consular and legal assistance to the two men, including sending mercy petitions and pardon requests to the government of UAE. The local authorities informed the Indian embassy on February 28 that their death sentences had been carried out.

In February, the Indian government informed Parliament that a total of 54 Indians are on death row in foreign countries, including 29 in the UAE.

A large number of Indians live and work in the UAE and of late, India-UAE ties have strengthened at many levels. – Illustration by freepik -Simran Sodhi is Executive Editor of nrifocus.com