Dubai man pays tribute to 'perfect' wife killed in Sri Lanka bombings
The story was originally published on www.thenational.ae and was covered by Thufail Muhammad
The husband of Razeena Kukkady, a Dubai resident who was killed in Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bombings last month, said that his life would never be the same after the tragedy.
The National reported last month that Razeena, 60, was at breakfast at the five-star Shangri-La hotelwhen two suicide bombers detonated their devices in one of a series of attacks on three hotels and three churches in the capital Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa.
At least 250 people died, including children and 42 foreign nationals.
(Abdul Khader Kukkady: Photo-thenational.ae)
Razeena, whose family are from India, grew up in Sri Lanka but later moved to Jumeirah Lakes Towers in Dubai with her husband, Abdul Khader Kukkady, 69.
“Life without Razeena will not be the same again. Not remotely even similar,” Abdul Khader said at a remembrance gathering for mourners in Dubai on Friday.
“She was perfect in every sense and always craved for excellence. She did not wish ill on anyone.
“Many people have tried to comfort me by saying, ‘God calls back early the people he loves the most’. But that’s no answer for such a tragic end to her life.
(Abdul Khader Kukkady with his daughter Farah and son Khanfer talks about his wife Razeena: Photo-thenational.ae)
“She was very, very special. She took care of the lives of so many people. She had a lot more to offer to her community. People tell me her death makes her a shaheed (martyr), but for what cause?”
Their daughter Farah Kukkady, 35, a management consultant who lives in Texas, also paid tribute to her mother.
“My mother struck a bond with everyone irrespective of their age, social or economic status,” Farah said.
“She would forgive people, even if they were extremely rude to her. She had lots and lots of love. She had a great ear for music. She picked up new languages easily.”
The couple had been holidaying in Sri Lanka for just over a week and on the morning of the attack, Abdul Khader flew back to his job as a project director in Dubai.
Razeena was days away from her 61st birthday and was scheduled to fly to India the following day.
Abdul Khader was told of his wife’s death when his flight landed. He flew back to Sri Lanka that day with his brother and nephew and said it was the toughest journey he had ever taken.
“So many thoughts crossed my mind during the trip. My immediate reaction was anger and rage rather than grief,” he said.
“When I then saw my beautiful Razeena lying motionless, I was shell-shocked. She had a smile on her face and there were no apparent scars.
"I was furious at myself, and at the people who had done this. I felt helpless but I couldn’t cry.”
Security lapses have been blamed for the attacks, which were carried out by an ISIS-linked group, and Abdul Khader criticised the Shangri La-for a lack of security checks.
“There was absolutely no security there – zero security,” he said. "It’s totally beyond me that the attackers could check in to a hotel room and stay there overnight with explosives.”
Razeena was buried the day after the attack at a mosque in Colombo, in a ceremony attended by the couple’s friends and family.
Their son Khanfer, 38, an engineer who lives in California, and Farah arrived the day after the funeral and were upset that they had been unable not see their mother one last time to say a proper farewell.
Khanfer spoke to her by phone half an hour before the attack.
Abdul Khader, a soft-spoken man, said he could finally “cry his soul out” after he being reunited with his children.
They are planning to launch an initiative in his late wife Razeena’s memory, although they are yet to decide on details.
(Razeena Kukkady's daughter Farah: Photo-thenational.ae)
The premature death of the cherished wife and devoted mother has left a big void in the lives of her family, and her son dreads to think about the impact it will have on his two-year-old daughter.
“Mila developed a great bond with my mum when she visited us in the US last November," he said.
"She is always asking me to show her the pictures that her grandma has sent her. Now if she asks and I don’t show her, she will get upset."
Courtesy: www.thenational.ae
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Main accused in Delhi Police constable murder shot dead in Sangam Vihar
New Delhi (PTI): A day after the fatal stabbing of a Delhi Police constable, the main accused in the case was shot dead in an encounter with the personnel of the force in south Delhi's Sangam Vihar area, officials said on Sunday.
Constable Kiran Pal was stabbed to death by three people on Saturday while on night patrolling duty in southeast Delhi's Govindpuri area. Two accused -- Deepak Max and Krish Gupta -- were arrested later in that day.
The third accused, Raghav -- who stabbed Pal with a knife -- was hiding in Sangam Vihar, a senior police officer of Special Cell said.
Acting on specific information, teams of NDR of Special Cell and Narcotics Cell of South East District, went to the area connecting Sangam Vihar and Surajkund Road late on Saturday night, the officer said.
The accused was identified and asked to surrender. He, however, opened fire at the police personnel who retaliated in self-defence and injured the accused.
"He was immediately taken to the ESIC Hospital, Okhla, where he died," the officer said.
A pistol with two cartridges have been seized, the police officer said, adding no police official was injured in the encounter.
Constable Kiran Pal, posted at Govindpuri Police Station, was on night patrolling duty when he stopped three people riding a scooty in the early hours of Saturday.
The accused threw stones at the constable to evade arrest but he managed to waylay them by putting his bike in front of their vehicle, the officer said.
The constable also took away the keys of the scooty and started questioning the trio during which the accused stabbed him, the officer added.
