A six-year-old girl narrowly escaped a tragic road accident that took the lives of her Dubai-based father, mother and aunt when she ran into another vehicle during a brief stop, minutes before the accident in Kerala.Dubai-based Indian man, wife die in Kerala road accident; Daughter saved after changing carAccording to Gulf News, the victims have been identified as Shafid Ibrahim (40), an interior designer working in Dubai, his wife Shahina Shafid (32) and their cousin Jahana Sherin (26).This accident happened in the early hours of Friday in Malappuram district of Kerala.
A child’s last minute step proves to be a life saver.
According to reports, Shafid was driving when his car collided with a lorry parked on the roadside in Kohinoor area. There is a possibility of an accident due to heavy rain and poor visibility.The family was returning home to Thrissur after attending a family function and spending time at a beach in Kozhikode.Dubai-based businessman and filmmaker Thomas Thiruvalla said in a social media post that the family had stopped for tea about 30 minutes before the accident.During the break, Shafid’s daughter, Sanfa Fatima, left in another vehicle carrying her grandmother, uncle and cousins.When the journey resumed, Shafid, Shahina and Jahana remained in the first car, which later met with a fatal accident.
Shock and grief in UAE
News of the tragedy spread quickly throughout the UAE’s Indian expatriate community after colleagues and friends shared tributes for Shafid on social media.Thomas described Shafid, who had worked with his company for 13 years, as a dedicated professional and someone who always spread positivity.“He was much more than an employee. He treated everyone with warmth and respect. It’s hard to believe he is no longer with us,” Thomas told Gulf News.Shafid had traveled to Kerala on May 25 for a month-long holiday coinciding with the Eid holidays and was scheduled to return to Dubai on June 25.
Last rites took place in Kerala
After the accident, Thomas moved to Kerala to live with the grieving family. Relatives reportedly delayed the funeral until his arrival. The victims were later buried in their hometowns.Visuals broadcast on local media showed that the vehicle was completely damaged after the collision.In another recent incident involving a Kerala expatriate in the UAE, Dubai-based bakery worker Ismail Ponnan Ibrahim Kutty (40) was killed in Sharjah after an alleged dispute involving a TikTok livestream escalated into a violent confrontation.