The family of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been on death row for murdering a Yemeni man six years ago, on Thursday asked the government to help save her as the victim’s family has approached Yemen’s Supreme Court for executing the sentence.
Her mother Prema Kumari told journalists in Palakkad that Priya called her from jail last week saying time was running out. “I want my daughter’s life to be saved somehow. There were many attempts to save her life but nothing worked. She told me the court has asked both parties to submit papers to speed up the sentence.”
She cited difficulties involved in such a case and added she was hoping against hope. “I was willing to go to Yemen to apologise to the family of the victim. I also heard some people arranged blood money. We have no idea what happened later.”
In May, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said they will explore possibilities to save Priya. Former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph also pledged support.
Retail shopping giant Lulu Group chairman M A Yusuf Ali offered to pay the blood money to save her life. Reports said the victim’s family sought ₹1.5 crore.
Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, a group formed to save the nurse, said initially the victim’s family was ready to accept blood money and pardon her but they have been changing their position.
Priya and her colleague Hanan, a Yemini national, were convicted of injecting Talal Abu Mahadi with sedatives and killing him in 2017. Mahadi allegedly misappropriated money, misrepresented himself through forged documents as Priya’s husband, abused her physically, and seized her passport.
Priya and Hanan reportedly chopped Mahadi’s body before disposing of it in a water tank. Priya was awarded capital punishment in 2018. Hanan was sentenced to life imprisonment.
A mother of an eight-year-old child, Priya worked in Yemen’s Sana’a since 2011. Her husband and child returned have since to India.
