Latest news with #IndianWoman
Khaleej Times
20-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
Sharjah: Indian woman found dead in apartment days before joining new job
A 30-year-old Indian woman was found dead in her apartment near Rolla Park in Sharjah on Saturday morning, according to Malayalam news channel Media One. The woman, identified as Athulya Shekhar, was set to start a new job at a company located in a nearby mall. Khaleej Times has reached out to the Sharjah Police, and a comment was awaited at the time of filing this report. Athulya had been living in Sharjah for the past two years. Recently, she celebrated her birthday by visiting her sister, who lives close by, according to the news channel. She shared sweets and spoke with joy about starting her first job. Speaking to the news channel, her family said, "It was her birthday on Friday. She was planning to join the job soon, and she also visited her sister, shared sweets and congratulated her." Khaleej Times has contacted Atulya's family, the Indian Consulate in Dubai, and social workers assisting with the case for more details. The channel reported that Athulya had requested some money from her husband to cover her commute to work. She then gave him some gold ornaments in exchange for some cash. He then left the apartment, and after returning, reportedly found her dead. Her father told the channel that she had been looking forward to her new job and was very close to her daughter. Athulya is survived by her husband, and her daughter who is studying in Grade 10 in India. Her father, a former Gulf expat, now works as an autorickshaw driver in Kerala.
Khaleej Times
17-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
Indian visa holders in US warned of revocation over theft, assault
The US Embassy in India has cautioned that committing crimes such as assault, theft, or burglary in the United States could result in serious consequences beyond legal troubles, including visa revocation. "Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues — it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future US visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all US laws," the embassy said in an official message. The statement underscores that adherence to US laws is mandatory for all foreign visitors, with violations potentially impacting future travel eligibility. The advisory comes amid growing concerns over the conduct of some visa holders. In one such recent case, an Indian woman reportedly spent more than seven hours inside a Target store on May 1, collecting items worth USD 1,300 (around Rs1.1 lakh), before allegedly attempting to leave without paying. The incident went viral after a store employee confronted her, and footage of the exchange circulated widely online. Highlighting the seriousness of its stance, the US Embassy reiterated on Saturday that visa screening continues even after a visa is granted, stressing that criminal behaviour can not only jeopardise an individual's current visa status but also affect their eligibility for future entry into the country. "US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all US laws and immigration rules — and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't," the Embassy said in a post on X. The statement underscores the United States' ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with its immigration laws and reinforces that visa holders must adhere strictly to all legal requirements during their stay. As part of broader efforts to tighten screening, a related announcement was made last month. In a move aimed at strengthening visa screening procedures, the United States has announced that effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are required to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US law. In a post on X, the official handle of the US Embassy in India (@USAndIndia) shared the announcement stating, "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States." It also reiterated that since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms. The post added: "We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security." Meanwhile, the US government has also unveiled a sweeping new 2025 travel ban, barring nationals from 12 countries entirely and partially limiting visa access from seven others. The move prioritises national security and focuses on countries deemed high-risk for security loopholes and terrorism concerns. Most affected countries are reportedly in the Middle East and Africa. Citizens from these nations now face a total ban on immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including those for tourism, education, and employment. Simultaneously, seven other countries face partial restrictions, involving tighter screening or limited visa categories. Amid growing concern in South Asia, the US has clarified that India is not on the list. The US is continuing to process applications for Indian nationals across all categories, including B1/B2 tourist visas, H1B work permits, and F1 student visas. However, visa applicants from India still face long delays due to high demand and administrative backlog. Most US consulates in India are booking interview slots up to 10-12 months in advance. So while India remains unaffected by the new travel ban, long processing times may still impact travel plans, education, and employment opportunities for many.
Times of Oman
14-07-2025
- Times of Oman
Indian woman dies in Sharjah fire; Kerala woman suffocates baby, kills self in UAE city
Sharjah: An Indian woman died after a fire broke out in her apartment in Sharjah, local media reported. The 46-year-old woman was reportedly performing a special ritual in her home in the Al Majaz area on Thursday night, when the fire erupted, leading to her death, the Gulf News reported officials as saying. The fire was started in a unit located on the eighth floor of an 11-storey residential building. Police have begun an investigation. The woman's body has been transferred to the forensic laboratory for an autopsy, the Gulf News reported. Meanwhile, a 33-year-old woman from Kerala and her toddler daughter were found dead in their apartment in Sharjah's Al Nahda neighbourhood on July 8, Khaleej Times reported. The woman who hailed from Kollam and had moved to the UAE around two years ago with her husband was living separately for the past few months due to ongoing family disputes. A Gulf News report cited a forensic report that the child died from "airway obstruction, possibly by a pillow." The report confirmed that the woman had died by suicide and she was found hanging in the apartment by emergency responders. A social worker shared with Khaleej Times, that a handwritten note in Malayalam -- believed to have been written by the deceased -- contains details suggesting emotional distress and allegations of abuse.
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- The Guardian
Women in India don't want ‘safe zones' – they want to enjoy public spaces as equals
A couple of weeks ago, I was in an upmarket neighbourhood in Delhi for a photoshoot. The sun was already unforgiving, and only a handful of walkers and joggers had dared to step out in the heat. A few children, on their summer break from school, gave curious glances in our direction, but they quickly lost interest and returned to their games. Women walking by offered quick looks, but the men stared – every single one who passed us. Then one went a step further. Mid-shoot, he walked straight up and interrupted us. At first, we smiled – out of habit, out of conditioning – thinking that he would leave. But he didn't. Instead, his questions turned increasingly personal. From 'What are you doing?' to 'Do you have an Insta page?' and 'Where do you stay?', the questions grew increasingly intrusive. He even wanted photography tips. By then, the polite smiles the photojournalist Elke Scholiers and I were wearing had faded. We were irritated, even angry – but when we told him firmly that he was interrupting our work, we still said it with a smile, albeit a strained one. Did he get the message? No! He hung around for longer before finally, reluctantly, shuffling off. This incident got me thinking about several things. First, Elke, a Belgian woman, and I, an Indian woman, remained unfailingly polite the whole time. But we should not have had to do so. What we really needed to do was hold our boundaries – clearly, calmly, without guilt. Not rude, just firm. But we have been taught that even basic assertiveness in women can be too much. And it is here that the larger narrative strikes me – one that plays out across societies that raise women to be nice and polite under all circumstances. Studies back this up. In 2022 research found that incivility is considered a masculine trait and hence women are often judged harshly for being blunt, firm or unapologetically assertive. Furthermore, the institutional response to gender-based violence in India has mostly been to segregate women further. They want women to be confined to 'safe' zones – pink carriages in the metro, pink autos, pink bus tickets, pink parks, pink toilets, separate queues. This segregation does not make public spaces any safer or more comfortable for women – it only reinforces the idea that the public sphere belongs to men. In the process, women are not just isolated – they are exoticised; their presence is made exceptional, even unnatural, to the point of near-erasure. This also makes women's relationship with public spaces purely functional – they must move from point to point with a purpose. More than 50% of women in Indian towns and cities do not leave their homes even once a day – and only 48% of women in urban India are even allowed to leave home alone. With so few women occupying public spaces, our presence continues to feel unfamiliar – something to be stared at, questioned or interrupted. What is needed is to socialise boys and men to be more comfortable around women – as equals, not anomalies. Studies have shown that a majority of Indian boys grow up without meaningful interactions with girls or any kind of education that teaches respect, equality or consent. The idea that women belong at home, in the private sphere, is still deeply rooted. Sign up to Her Stage Hear directly from incredible women from around the world on the issues that matter most to them – from the climate crisis to the arts to sport after newsletter promotion But at the end of it, this isn't just about one man. It's about the culture that raised him, and millions like him. Take for example, a recent controversy where a video surfaced online of an Indian man in Venice making inappropriate comments about a foreign woman. His tone is condescending and lewd. This is not just misogyny; this is the discomfort of a society that believes in keeping its women at home – a society that does not believe women have the same rights to be in public spaces as men do. A society that is so violent towards its women that they prefer to stay away from shared spaces. India's own data backs this up. The latest report from the National Crime Records Bureau shows that 445,256 cases of crime against women were registered during 2022 – an increase of 4% over 2021. More than three-quarters of these cases were either domestic abuse, abductions, sexual assaults or rapes. Every time I am in a public space in India, I find myself unconsciously calculating – my safety, risk, attention, tone – even when I don't need to. And that man's behaviour? Just another periodic reminder of why we move through public spaces with caution, not comfort. Nilanjana Bhowmick is a writer based in Delhi, India. She is the founder of a platform dedicated to empowering women through honest, informed storytelling
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
IND v ENG: Sree Charani takes four wickets on WT20I debut at Trent Bridge
N. Sree Charani took four wickets on her debut during the first T20I between India Women and England Women, taking place at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Saturday. She registered the second-best figures for an Indian Woman on T20I debut — four for 12 in 3.5 overs. — after Sravanthi Naidu, who picked up four wickets and gave nine runs in her first match, playing against Bangladesh in 2014. Alice Capsey was the spinner's first scalp — the English all-rounder got a thick, outside edge which landed safe in Arundhati Reddy's arms at short third. In the same match, the youngster took her second wicket after she forced Sophie Ecclestone to go big, but the English all-rounder found Jemimah Rodrigues over at deep mid-wicket. In her last over, she claimed the prized scalp of an in-form Nat Sciver-Brunt. The England skipper, who scored a fighting half-century, was caught behind by keeper Richa Ghosh. While initially not given out, India took the review, which showed that Sciver-Brunt had nicked it. Charani soon wrapped up the innings with the final scalp — her fourth one — taking the wicket of Lauren Bell, who holed out to Jemimah at deep mid-wicket, helping India secure a 97-run victory over England to take the series lead. The 20-year-old made her international debut during last month's Tri-Nation ODI series, which India won after beating Sri Lanka in the summit clash. She took six wickets in five matches in that tournament. Charani also impressed in this year's Women's Premier League, where she took four wickets in two innings and reached the final with the Delhi Capitals.
