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A flat tyre led 21-year-old Keralam student Naifa Balkies Hameed to call her father while driving to university in Dubai. Five minutes later, she stopped answering his calls. Later, her family in India learnt that she had been struck by a vehicle and killed on the spot while seeking roadside assistance.
The accident took place on Al Khawaneej Street in Dubai's Al Rashidiya area. A passing vehicle struck the 21-year-old Keralam student. (Representative image/ AI-genereted)
New Delhi,Nov 11, 2026 18:38 IST
A seemingly-normal phone call following a flat tyre turned out to be one of the last conversations a 21-year-old Keralam student had with her family before she was killed in a road accident in Dubai. Naifa Balkies Hameed was on her way to her university on November 5 when her car developed a flat tyre. She called her father for advice, but when he tried calling her again five minutes later, there was no answer. The family subsequently received a call from Dubai Police informing them that Naifa had been struck by a vehicle and had died on the spot.
The heartbreaking sequence of events was recounted by Naifa's uncle to Gulf News in a report published on Monday (November 9). In a follow-up report on Wednesday (November 11), the Dubai-based newspaper spoke to her family, friend and professor, who remembered the young woman and the dreams she had left behind.
Naifa, a native of Thodupuzha in Keralam, was a final-year architecture student at Canadian University Dubai. She had returned to the UAE early from a family trip to Keralam because she did not want to miss her classes.
A PHONE CALL THAT WENT UNANSWERED
The accident occurred around 3 pm on November 5 in Dubai's Al Rashidiya area, according to Karala-based outlet Onmanorama. Naifa had reportedly stepped out of her car to call a roadside recovery service when an approaching vehicle struck her.
According to Naifa's uncle, she was driving her brother's car to university when one of its tyres went flat, reported Gulf News.
The Onmanorama report identified her brother as Nihal Hameed.
She called her father, Binu Hameed, who was in Keralam, and told him about the problem. He advised her to contact roadside assistance and take a taxi to university once the recovery vehicle had towed her car away.
About five minutes later, Binu called his daughter again. This time, she did not answer it.
The family later received a call from Dubai Police about the fatal accident.
According to what police told the family, Naifa was standing behind her vehicle when another car, reportedly speeding, struck her. She died at the scene.
The family was also informed that the driver had been arrested. However, Gulf News said it had contacted Dubai Police for confirmation and was awaiting a response.
NAIFA HAD RETURNED EARLY FROM KERALAM TO ATTEND CLASSES
Naifa and her family had recently travelled to Keralam for a wedding. While her father, brother, sister-in-law and uncle stayed back for another family function, Naifa returned to Dubai with her mother, Seena.
Her uncle told Gulf News that she was determined not to miss university classes.
The family had settled in Dubai to support her higher education. Her father, a businessman, had previously travelled frequently between Saudi Arabia, India and the UAE.
Naifa had been driving since she was 18 and was comfortable handling different cars, her uncle said.
"Her father is a car enthusiast, and the family owns several vehicles. On the day of the accident, she was driving her brother's car, which had not been used for several days because he was in Kerala," he told Gulf News.
FAMILY RECALLS THE 'LIGHT OF THE HOUSEHOLD'
Naifa's uncle described her as the light of the household, someone who remembered every birthday and anniversary.
"She remembered the birthdays and wedding anniversaries of everyone and made a point of sending cards and gifts. She was friendly with everyone, especially young children," he recalled.
Her family affectionately called her "Noon" or "Noony", while a close friend remembered her as "Shukku".
Her professor at Canadian University Dubai, Sanjeewa Pushpakumara, remembered her dedication to learning.
"She was quiet and deeply passionate about knowledge," he told Gulf News.
The family members who had remained in Keralam returned to Dubai on Friday (November 6). Naifa's remains were flown to India on Saturday night, and she was laid to rest in her hometown in Keralam on Sunday (November 8).
Her family now hopes the tragedy will serve as a warning about reckless driving and the dangers of roadside emergencies.
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(Written by Sushim Mukul)
