Members of the Indian expatriate community in Ras Al Khaimah have expressed shock following the deaths of a longtime UAE-based businessman and his wife in India, in a case now under police investigation in Kerala.
The couple, identified as Sugathan, 67, and his wife Latha, were found dead shortly before they were scheduled to return to the UAE after a visit to their home state. Indian authorities have registered a murder case linked to the wife’s death and an unnatural death case related to the husband, while investigations continue.
Friends and community members in Ras Al Khaimah described Sugathan as a respected businessman known for philanthropy and community support during decades of living and working in the emirate.
The case of Indian expat couple’s death in Kerala: UAE friends shocked, struggle to believe murder-suicide theory has drawn widespread attention among UAE residents familiar with the family and their longstanding ties to the country.
Several friends said Sugathan had built a successful construction business in Ras Al Khaimah and was involved in charitable activities supporting families in Kerala. Others described him as someone planning retirement and preparing to gradually step back from business operations in the UAE.
According to people close to the family, the couple had recently travelled across India with relatives and had already checked in luggage for their planned return flight to the UAE before the incident unfolded.
The developments surrounding Indian expat couple’s death in Kerala: UAE friends shocked, struggle to believe murder-suicide theory have prompted an outpouring of condolences within sections of the Indian expatriate community across the Emirates.
Authorities in Kerala said post-mortem examinations and further investigations are ongoing as officials work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
