Dubai resident's family holds funeral for Sri Lanka blast victim

Dubai - She was killed in the blasts that rocked Sri Lanka's capital as she was preparing to check out of the hotel.

If not for the horrific series of bomb blasts which killed nearly 290 people in Sri Lanka, 61-year-old Razeena Khader Kukkady was set to fly back to Mangalore, India, to begin preparations for the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Razeena was killed in the blasts that rocked Sri Lanka's capital as she was preparing to check out of the hotel. Her funeral was held at around 10am local time on April 22 in Colombo, sources close to the family can reveal. She was laid to rest in her birthplace, according to family members.
Speaking to Khaleej Times late Monday afternoon, Ayoob Chekkintakath, a Dubai-resident and a close family friend of Razeena, said his entire family is in a terrible state of shock since the dastardly attacks took her life. A mother to two children, who are currently based in the US, Razeena Khader was a devout Muslim who followed the teachings of the Prophet, said Chekkintakath. "We lost a family member who can never be replaced," he said.
He added, "Though we are not related by blood, she is like my sister. Her husband Khader and our family lived very close to each other in our native village. Razeena was born in Sri Lanka and after her marriage to Khader, she came to Mangalore." According to Chekkintakath, Razeena held a Sri Lankan passport and was an OCI card holder. She spent many years living abroad in countries such as Libya, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain etc.
Her husband Khader was on a flight back from Colombo when the blasts took place. "We received him at the airport and booked his tickets back to Sri Lanka immediately after he landed. It was a difficult situation to share with him, the family is devastated."
According to Chekkintakath, Razeena had witnessed the civil war in Sri Lanka that began in 1983. She and her family lived in Vavuniya, which was a hotbed for civil unrest during the war. "She witnessed the entire civil war and she escaped back then."
"Our family is in shock. She was the leader in her family and friends circle, and she was healthy and happy. The family moved to Dubai four years ago," he added.
Razeena, was also democratic and open-minded. "She devoted her talents and abilities to provide education for her children in a most moderate and modest way. She never propagated violence, and I do not know what these groups will gain when they take these innocent beautiful minds," said Chekkintakath.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

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