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Sharjah: A 35-year-old Indian expatriate woman allegedly pushed her five-year-old daughter from a high-rise apartment in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) before jumping to her death, according to multiple media reports.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, May 20, at a residential tower in the Al Nahda area near Sahara Centre. Sharjah Police said the case has been registered as a suicide and referred to the Public Prosecution for further investigation.

Residents and building staff said they heard a loud noise before finding the bodies outside the tower. Emergency teams and police later reached the site and cordoned off the area before shifting the bodies to hospital.

According to Gulf News, citing eyewitnesses and building employees, the mother and daughter fell from the family’s 15th-floor apartment in the 32-storey building. The tower has several parking levels and a gymnasium floor beneath the residential units, increasing the overall height of the fall.

Reports of family dispute

Local media reports said police had visited the apartment complex a day earlier following a reported family dispute. The woman’s husband, who works in Dubai’s aviation sector, was reportedly questioned as part of the investigation. Authorities have not released further official details regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The woman, originally from Kerala’s Kannur district, had been living in the UAE for several years and reportedly operated an online business. Her sister’s family lived in a neighbouring apartment in the same building, while other relatives were also based in the Emirates.

Community in shock

The deaths have shocked members of the Indian expatriate community in Sharjah. Neighbours described the child as cheerful and friendly, recalling that she was familiar to many residents in the building.

Family members from Kerala have reportedly travelled to the UAE following the tragedy. Community workers said burial or repatriation procedures may take longer due to the approaching Eid holidays.

Similar case reported last year

The incident comes months after another case involving an Indian expatriate family in Sharjah drew attention within the community. In July 2025, a 33-year-old Indian woman and her one-year-and-five-month-old daughter were found dead at a flat in Al Nahda.

Media reports at the time said preliminary findings suggested the child was killed before the mother took her own life. The case intensified discussions around mental health, family welfare and access to community support services among expatriates in the UAE.