Thirty-three-year old Mariam, a British citizen had landed in Kerala’s Thrissur district in February 2015 in search of her husband Kunnumbath Noushad Hussain. Two years and many trips later, Mariam is set to return to her home, her battle half -won
Mariam had met Noushad Hussain when he was a student in August 2011 and after being in a relationship for two years, they married in April 2013.
A year later, Noushad left for his home in Thrissur. Mariam kept waiting for that call from Noushad telling her that his family had accepted her, but it never came.
Instead, Noushad stopped taking Khaliq’s calls, and did not respond to messages either. He also blocked her on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Desperate calls to his parents were met with animosity. She learnt about a helpline for women ‘Snehitha’ run by a local Kudumbashree group in Thrissur.
It didn’t take much time for Snehitha’s lawyer Sudha Haridasan to locate Noushad.
“Although he first denied any relationship with Khaliq, Hussain later said that he married her just to get a permanent UK visa. He said that she was five years older than him and that he could not live with her,” Sudha had told The News Minute in 2015.
This was no easy fight, but Mariam was never ready to give up.
Mariam and Noushad
Her first visit to Naushad’s home in February 2015 was a traumatic one. She was called a prostitute and not allowed to enter.
“They called me a prostitute. They abused me very badly. I pleaded with them but they refused to talk to me,” Mariam said.
The case soon went to a local court, but there too Noushad called Mariam just an acquaintance. The determined woman got an order from the court allowing her to live in her husband’s home, but she was never allowed.
Meanwhile, Noushad married another woman in July 2015. His new wife too was scornful of Mariam.
Mariam kept coming back to India, hoping for justice.
And a battle for months, Noushad finally agree to pay her alimony.
“I am going back next weekend, there is nothing more here,” said Mariam.
“When she first came here, her only intention was to live with him. She never agreed for a settlement by giving alimony, but since he remarried and there were no other options left, in a meeting with local political leaders and Noushad’s family, we agreed for a settlement,” Sudha added.