Relatives of Seema Banu who was found dead along with her two children at her home in Dublin, Ireland, are making efforts to bring the bodies to their native place in Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru district for the last rites.
Seema’s cousin Sufi Masood Hussain told The Hindu that the family was in touch with the External Affairs Ministry to facilitate transportation of the bodies of Seema Banu, her daughter, Asfira Syed, and son, Faizan Syed, to Halaganahalli in Periyapatna taluk.
“We are waiting for them to release the bodies. Since the Irish police are investigating the deaths as a murder case, we had been informed that the release of the bodies may take a longer time. And the investigations are still in the early stages,” he said.
Though the bodies when released are expected to be handed over to Seema’s husband, Syed Sameer, who will decide on the last rites, the family of Seema is hoping that the authorities would prevail upon her husband to send the bodies to India.
Seema’s family in Mysuru, however, has expressed its inability to bear the financial expenditure of transporting the bodies to their native place.
Husband a suspect
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police, Mysuru, C.B. Ryshyant said Seema’s husband had not been arrested yet. “He is a suspect,” the SP added.
He said Seema’s family members were in touch with the Irish police – called Garda – and were regularly exchanging information.
Mr. Hussain said the Irish police would be questioning Seema’s father, Abdul Gaffar, mother, Qurshidunnisa, and brother Rizwan about Seema’s relationship with her husband. “They are scheduled to join them in a video call to collect the information,” Mr. Hussain said.
The family had already shared video calls Seema made to them from Dublin, he said.
Mr. Sameer, a 42-year-old software engineer, was earlier working in Dubai before he shifted to Ireland about two years ago and Seema too had joined him about a year ago along with her children.
Earlier this year, Seema had suffered a series of injuries following a serious assault on her. The discovery of her body along with her two children comes ahead of the assault case going on trial, Mr. Hussain said before adding that the family had shared with the authorities their suspicion behind the alleged murders of Seema and her two children.
