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In a voice note sent to her sister days before her death, Athulya Satheesh, a 29-year-old Kollam native living in Sharjah, shared her desperation after alleged repeated assault by her husband. “Yesterday, I called Amma while lying on the floor, wrapped in a blanket. I had been kicked to the floor. I’m sick and unable to move; I was kicked in the stomach. I’m being forced to stay with him even after everything he has done. I can’t bear it anymore. But I don’t have the courage to die,” she said.
Athulya, a native of Kollam’s Kozhivila, was found dead in her apartment in Rolla, Sharjah, on July 18, a day after her birthday, which was also the day she was to join a new job. According to her family, she took her own life after enduring 12 years of physical and mental abuse from her husband, Satheesh Sankar (40).
A video shared by her family shows Athulya being assaulted with a chair by Satheesh, who is seen mocking her while demanding that she stop recording. “How many videos are you taking? Aren’t you tired?” He is then seen laughing maniacally. The video also shows bruises on Athulya’s body. Her family and friends shared messages she had sent before her death, one simply reading, “I cannot bear it anymore.”
Athulya’s father, Rajasekharan Pilla, told the media they were not interested in the marriage alliance initially, but Satheesh’s mother frequently visited their home to speak with Athulya until she eventually agreed. “Even in the early days of the marriage, he used to assault her. I asked her many times to come back, but she didn’t,” he said.
The Chavara Thekkumbhagam police have registered a case against Satheesh following a complaint by Athulya’s parents alleging foul play in her death. He has been charged under sections related to murder, cruelty against women, voluntarily causing hurt, grievous hurt using dangerous weapons, and dowry harassment under Indian law. It is alleged that Satheesh used to physically assault Athulya after consuming alcohol, and she had previously lodged a complaint with the Sharjah police.
Earlier this month, Vipanchika, another Kollam woman who was working as a clerk in Sharjah for seven years, was found dead along with her daughter in their residence in Sharjah. According to her family, Vipanchika faced severe domestic violence from her husband, father-in-law, and sister-in-law, with persistent dowry demands and alleged attempts to isolate her by confiscating her identity documents. A suicide note detailing her ordeal briefly appeared on her Facebook page before being deleted.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.