Pregnant Kerala nurse stabbed to death in Oman

Kochi: Chiku, 28, a Malayali nurse working in Badar Al Samaa hospital at Salalah, Oman, for the past three years, was stabbed to death by an unknown assailant in a suspected case of attempted robbery.

Chiku, married to Linson Thomas, also working as a male nurse in the same hospital, failed to turn up for work at around 11 pm local time. Mr Thomas, who was on duty at the hospital, went to their apartment and found her dead with grievous injuries. T.I. Varghese, a close relative of the family, told this newspaper that the woman was suspected to be hacked with a sharp edged weapon.

“Relatives of Mr Thomas working in Oman have gone to Salalah and we are waiting for information from them. We are utterly shocked by the incident,” he said.

The body of Chiku is likely to be flown in to Kerala on Sunday or Monday, Mr Varghese said. Chiku was three months pregnant, according to her relatives.
Chiku is the eldest daughter of the Robert-Saby couple. Her younger sister is a student of D.Pharm course in a college in Cherthala.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday said an Indian national working as a nurse in Oman was murdered and has asked the Indian Ambassador there for a report on the matter.