Hundreds gather as Fujairah crash victims are buried

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Fujairah on Friday to offer funeral prayers for 21-year-old twins and their three-year-old nephew killed in a road accident, before the three were buried together at the emirate’s cemetery.
Mohammed Asmil, his twin sister Misna Jubin and their nephew Mohammed Fayiz were laid to rest following congregational prayers at Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi Mosque. Relatives, friends, community volunteers and residents joined the funeral, with many accompanying the family to the burial ground.
Hashim Thangal, secretary of the Fujairah Indian Center, estimated that close to 1,000 people attended the prayers. He described the mosque as unusually crowded and was among the volunteers helping the bereaved family complete the administrative arrangements for burial.
The turnout brought together people from different backgrounds, including residents who interrupted their working day to attend. Some had known the family for years through its business and community connections, while others came to offer condolences after learning of the deaths.
The three died on Wednesday night when the family’s four-wheel-drive vehicle collided with a truck near Fujairah Court House as they returned from Sharjah, where they had dropped off a relative. The collision also injured four other family members travelling in the vehicle.
The survivors included the twins’ mother, Arifa, their elder sister Farzana, who was Fayiz’s mother, and Farzana’s two other children, a 12-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son. They were taken to hospital with injuries of varying severity. Family accounts indicated that the survivors were out of danger.
The twins’ father, Siddique, was not travelling in the vehicle. He has operated a cafeteria and restaurant in Fujairah for decades and is known to customers and members of the expatriate community. The family originally comes from Kerala’s Malappuram district.
Before the funeral, relatives were allowed to see the bodies at Fujairah Hospital. Farzana, who had sustained injuries, arrived with her husband, while Arifa also visited the mortuary. The remains were subsequently taken for the customary washing and shrouding before the funeral prayers.
The deaths have affected a family with longstanding connections to Fujairah. Asmil and Misna were the youngest of four siblings and had spent part of their schooling in Kerala before continuing their education in the UAE. Both were pursuing computer applications studies through distance learning.
Asmil also helped at his father’s cafeteria and was familiar to regular customers. Friends and community members in Fujairah and Malappuram expressed sorrow at the loss of the siblings, who were described by relatives as especially close to one another.
Representatives of the Consulate General of India in Dubai contacted the bereaved family and coordinated with local authorities over assistance. The consulate said it was working to provide support to those affected by the road accidents in Fujairah and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
The family’s collision occurred on a night when another major traffic accident struck the emirate. Authorities said a separate chain-reaction crash involving five trucks and 18 other vehicles killed 14 people and injured 30. The two incidents should not be confused, despite their proximity in time and location.
Fujairah Police have been investigating the circumstances of the collisions. Authorities have urged motorists to observe speed limits, maintain adequate distance between vehicles and remain attentive, particularly when approaching heavy vehicles or roadworks.
The twins had returned to the UAE after spending time in Kerala with their family. Their education had taken them between the two places: they completed their earlier schooling in Kerala, finished higher secondary classes in Fujairah and continued studying online. Their elder brother Ajmal Siddique was among relatives dealing with the aftermath of the collision.
Community volunteers assisted with the documentation required before burial, while relatives and friends gathered to support the injured survivors. A teacher who knew Fayiz’s family was among those attending the prayers, alongside students and residents. The gathering reflected the family’s connections across Fujairah, built through work, schooling and years of residence in the emirate.
The Fujairah cemetery administration’s published funeral notice identified all three family members and confirmed Friday prayers at Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi Mosque, followed by burial at Fujairah cemetery. It also specified visiting periods for condolences and requested that hospitality be limited to coffee and tea.