Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya's death sentence was cancelled by the Yemeni authorities, according to reports. This comes less than two weeks after the Houthi government postponed the execution of the woman.
The information was revealed by Grand Mufti of India Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, popularly known as Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, who reportedly mediated the issue with Yemeni authorities. The Ministry of External Affairs was yet to respond to the information when this report was published.
What next for Nimisha Priya?
With her death sentence cancelled, now efforts are on to secure the release of Nimisha. The close relatives of Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni citizen, who was murdered by the nurse, are still refusing to accept the blood money and have been demanding that she should be executed.
Earlier, Kanthapuram reportedly held talks with religious authorities in Yemen, including Sufi leader Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz who intervened in the issue. His representatives reportedly met with the family of Talal on July 15.
According to Manorama Online, the decision to cancel the death sentence was taken following negotiations mediated by the Houthi rulers and international envoys at Kanthapuram's request. Furthers discussions are said to be carried out in consultation with Talal's family.
Earlier in the day, Nimisha Priya's daughter, Mishel, 13, and husband, Tomy Thomas, appealed to the Yemeni authorities to release her. "Please help bring my mother home. I badly want to see her. I miss you mummy. I love you mummy," pleaded Mishel in a video shared on social media.
In the video, Mishel and Tomy are accompanied by KA Paul, the founder of US-based Global Peace Initiative, who thanked Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi and Yemeni President Rashad Mohammad Al-Alimi for expediting Nimisha's release. He said Nimisha has become "the daughter of India" and "the symbol of peace".
Nimisha had been working in Yemen since 2011 but her husband and daughter returned to Kerala in 2014. She then established a clinic in Sana'a in 2015 under Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mahdi's sponsorship. However, soon Talal allegedly forged marriage documents to establish that they are husband and wife. He then allegedly took her passport and abused her physically and mentally.
In an attempt to escape, Nimisha drugged Talal to take her passport from him. However, the man died of overdose. She was later detained by Yemeni authorities from the Saudi Arabia border.
In 2020, the Kerala nurse was sentenced to death and her appeals were rejected by higher courts. The Yemeni President approved the verdict last year and she was scheduled to be executed on July 16. The execution was suspended on July 15, reportedly with the help of Kanthapuram, eventually leading to the cancellation of Nimisha's death sentence on July 28.