British Indian man banned from leaving Sri Lanka after his newly-wed wife dies on honeymoon
London, May 12: A newly-wed British Indian man is stuck in Sri Lanka after his wife died from a mysterious illness at a hotel in the country on their honeymoon.
Khilan Chandaria is being barred by the Sri Lankan authorities from leaving the country until an investigation into the death of his 31-year-old wife, Usheila Patel, is concluded.
Chandaria, a 33-year-old phone shop owner from north-west London, has not been arrested or charged in connection with his wife's death but is not being permitted to return to his home in the UK.
"I don't want to leave without her. I feel like the whole world is against me. It's been hard to do anything," Chandaria told the UK media from Sri Lanka.
"I don't think the grieving process has really started yet," he said.
The couple were married in London on April 19 before flying off on honeymoon four days later. They had been staying at the five-star beach resort called Amari in the southwestern coastal city of Galle in Sri Lanka. They were scheduled to fly to Maldives on the second leg of the honeymoon.
But they both fell ill and were "feverish and vomiting blood" after consuming some food and drinks at the hotel. They were rushed to a hospital after they called for help to their hotel room.
Patel was pronounced dead at the Karapitiya Hospital in Galle on April 25.
"A post-mortem said she died from dehydration, obviously from vomiting," said Chandaria, who had also noticed a weird "smell" in their hotel room before the suspected food poisoning.
"We are highly confident of our food safety standards," Amari Galle Sri Lanka said in a statement.
While Chandaria had initially been free to leave Sri Lanka, he refused to leave until his wife's body has been released.
He has now been banned from leaving until a government report into the death can be prepared.
"I want to go home knowing my wife will be coming home too and say my last goodbyes," he said.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting a British man in Sri Lanka. Our consular staff have shared advice on bereavement abroad and are in contact with the Sri Lankan authorities."
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.
Press bodies demand withdrawal of FIR Against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair
New Delhi: Several press organisations have called for the withdrawal of the FIR filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police against Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of fact-checking platform Alt News. The FIR includes allegations of endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity under s. 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The case stems from Zubair’s social media post on October 3, where he shared a video of Hindutva leader Yati Narsinghanand’s speech that allegedly contained derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad. The video, shared on X (formerly Twitter), led to protests from Muslim groups across several cities. The complaint against Zubair was filed by Udita Tyagi, general secretary of the Yati Narsimhanand Saraswati Foundation, claiming the post was intended to incite violence.
On November 27, the Allahabad High Court was informed that s. 152 of the BNS and s. 66 of the Information Technology Act had been added to the FIR. While the court allowed these additions, press bodies expressed strong opposition to the charges, calling them a misuse of laws meant to stifle press freedom and dissent.
The Press Club of India described s. 152 as a "new avatar" of the sedition law, warning of its potential to silence media and free thinkers. Similarly, DIGIPUB, an association of digital news organisations, condemned the FIR as a "vindictive and unreasonable overreach" by the authorities.
DIGIPUB questioned whether the Uttar Pradesh government intends to target journalists who expose hate speech against minorities. It urged the police to shift focus to prosecuting individuals making hate speeches rather than harassing journalists like Zubair.
The Allahabad High Court has scheduled the next hearing on December 3, directing the investigating officer to provide detailed affidavits regarding the charges. Meanwhile, Zubair has sought legal protection against arrest.
