Humanitarian assistance announced by UAE-based entrepreneur Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil has now reached the families of workers who lost their lives in the Emirates Road accident in Dubai. Along with financial relief, the initiative includes educational support for children and assistance for injured survivors across India, Sri Lanka and the UAE.
DUBAI: Families of seven workers who lost their lives in the Emirates Road accident in Dubai have begun receiving humanitarian assistance under a rehabilitation initiative announced by UAE-based Indian businessman Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil. Representatives from VPS Health travelled to villages in Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Sri Lanka to personally hand over the financial support and meet the bereaved families.
The humanitarian programme provides AED 100,000 (around ₹26 lakh) to the family of each deceased worker. Officials also confirmed that additional educational assistance for children from the affected households will be assessed individually to help them continue their studies.
The delegation visited the homes of six Indian workers and one Sri Lankan national who died in the accident. Beyond delivering financial assistance, the visits were intended to offer reassurance that the families had not been forgotten by the wider UAE community.
In Telangana, support reached the families of Saleem Sayyed Hussain, Abdul Rafiq Abdul Raheem and Thirupathi Gollapally Chandraiah.
Saleem Sayyed Hussain, aged 51, had travelled to the UAE only a few months earlier with hopes of improving his family’s future and supporting his children’s education. His family now faces multiple challenges, including ongoing medical needs within the household and future financial responsibilities.
The parents of 23-year-old Thirupathi Gollapally Chandraiah spoke about the aspirations they had for their son, who had recently begun working in the UAE. They remembered his regular phone calls describing life overseas and the adjustments he was making while working outdoors.
The family of Abdul Rafiq Abdul Raheem, 37, is also dealing with significant uncertainty. Survived by his wife and young daughter, he was remembered by relatives and neighbours as someone who was always willing to help others. His father, who had already experienced the loss of two children in an earlier road accident, described the latest tragedy as another devastating blow for the family.
In Uttar Pradesh, representatives visited the families of Abdul Rasheed Zakir Husain, Markandey Chauhan Bhajjan Chauhan and Mohammad Saqib Liyaqat Ali.
One of the most emotional moments came during a video conversation between Dr. Shamsheer and the family of Markandey Chauhan. His 17-year-old daughter, Ankita Chauhan, shared her ambition to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Dr. Shamsheer assured her that her education would be fully supported and expressed hope that she could eventually build a healthcare career in the UAE, describing it as a meaningful way to honour her father’s memory.
The family of Abdul Rasheed Zakir Husain recalled that he had left home only two months before the accident. According to relatives, he had hoped it would be his final overseas assignment before returning permanently to rebuild his life in India.
Meanwhile, the family of Mohammad Saqib Liyaqat Ali said he had travelled to Dubai for the first time after working as an aluminium fabricator in India. His goal had been to create better financial stability for his mother and sisters despite the difficulties of finding suitable employment abroad.
The support programme also extended beyond India. In Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu district, representatives met the family of Samuvel Rengasami, whose wife and young daughter have been left without their family’s primary breadwinner.
Hafiz Ali, Director of VPS Health, said the personal visits reflected a commitment to stand with the families during an extremely difficult period. He added that educational assistance for children would continue in close coordination with each family.
The humanitarian initiative also includes financial assistance for nine workers injured in the accident. The injured group includes eight Indian nationals from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Telangana and Bihar, along with one Nepali national. Some survivors have already received the assistance in the UAE, while others recovering in India have had the funds transferred directly to their bank accounts. Two critically injured workers undergoing treatment in Dubai have also received financial support as part of the rehabilitation programme.
