Shahzadi Khan’s father Shabbir Khan has alleged that his daughter was not given proper representation in the court, which led to her execution. Photo: X/@PTI_News
“The burial of a woman from Uttar Pradesh, who was executed in Abu Dhabi last month for murdering the four-month-old son of her employers, was postponed because the jail authorities had said they were awaiting consent of the Indian embassy,” her father said.
The family of the deceased, Shahzadi Khan, said that under Islamic laws, the body needed to be buried immediately after death but their daughter had been deprived of a decent burial due to the “callous attitude” of the Indian government, a charge the Ministry of External Affairs denied.
Speaking to the media in Delhi, Shabbir Khan, a resident of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, alleged his daughter who was executed on February 15 was not given proper representation in the court, which led to her execution. Further, her burial too was being delayed, he alleged.
“It was the Indian government that told the Delhi High Court that Shahzadi’s burial will happen on March 5. Now, it has been postponed and we are getting to know about it through our distant relatives who live in Abu Dhabi. There has been no communication from the MEA,” said Mr. Khan who couldn’t hold his tears while sharing that his daughter was shot in the head.
He added the Ministry had kept him in the dark about the execution of his daughter for long and only responded to his queries in the Delhi High Court.
Ali Mohammad Maaz, the advocate who represented Mr. Khan in court, said if the burial had not taken place, he will approach the Government of India and request it to make arrangements to bring her remains back to India to be buried in this land.
Responding to the postponement of the burial, officials in the Ministry said that as per the laws of the United Arab Emirates, mortal remains of the person executed for a crime will be buried in the country only. The officials added that the UAE government had shown flexibility in allowing family members to see the mortal remains and witness burial in such cases.
Government officials added that the immediate family of Ms. Khan had been offered an opportunity to travel to Abu Dhabi for the last rites but a response is still awaited, which is why the burial has been delayed. The officials also said that in the case of another Indian who has been executed, the family has already reached Abu Dhabi and burial will take place on Thursday. Muhammed Rinash Arangilottu was executed for the murder of an Emirati national, sources said.
Mr. Khan claimed that he had already informed the Ministry that he cannot afford to travel abroad. “They never said that they will arrange for the travel tickets etc.,” he added.
(With inputs from Suhasini Haidar)
Published – March 05, 2025 10:54 pm IST