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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
John Hand

Grieving relatives of murdered mum and kids to fly to Ireland to visit graves

Grieving relatives of murdered Seema Banu plan to visit her and her two children’s graves for the first time.

Speaking ahead of the second anniversary of the triple murders later this week, Seema’s cousin Kashief Ahmed told how family members are set to travel from India to Dublin next year for evil killer Sameer Syed’s inquest and closure of the investigation.

The mum, 37, her daughter Asfira Riza, 11, and six-year-old son Faizan Syed were strangled to death at her home in Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham, South Dublin, by husband Syed on October 28, 2020.

Read more: Triple killer Sameer Syed's body flown back to his home in India for family burial

Following their deaths, the suspect had not yet been arrested and he refused to let the bodies of Seema and the two kids be repatriated back to India.

Instead a service took place in the mosque in Clonskeagh before they were buried in Newcastle cemetery, Co Dublin with the suspect crying over the coffins as Seema’s heartbroken family watched from India over a video link.

Evil Syed was charged with their murders but took his own life in the Midlands Prison earlier this year before he stood trial.

Seema’s cousin Kashief said: “Our family begged Syed to let the bodies come back to India but he wouldn’t let it happen.

“We watched it live on a screen.

“We saw him crying over the coffins. We will never forget what he did to us.

“In some time we will get over to Dublin. We have talked and we have said we will go. We hope that it can happen in the next year.

“The coroner’s court has to close the case, so some of the family will go then and then go to the graves.

“I’m in contact with the Irish police and they keep me updated. I’m very thankful to the Irish police. They have kept us updated every individual step.”

Seema’s elderly father Abdul Ghaffar passed away just 40 days on from their deaths while her mum Qurishid-un-nisa is battling health issues after suffering a second heart attack.

Kashief urged anyone in the same situation as Seema to reach out for help.

He added: “No one has the right to abuse anyone else. We don’t have rights to abuse by words or by actions.

“I would urge anyone in this situation to get help before it’s too late.”

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