Centre not taking steps for release of Nimisha Priya: K C Venugopal

Thiruvananthapuram: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Saturday claimed that the central government was not taking any steps to intervene with the execution of Nimisha Priya, a nurse from the state convicted of murder in Yemen.

Venugopal contended that it was "sad" that the Centre was not showing any urgency in the matter despite the issue being brought to the attention of the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Ministry.

The AICC general secretary, who is also the MP from Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, said in a post on social media platform 'X' that the death sentence imposed on Priya was a "grave travesty of justice".

"She is a victim of unimaginable cruelty and domestic abuse on foreign soil, driven to the brink. She doesn’t deserve to die. I’ve written to the PM seeking urgent intervention to prevent her execution," he said in the post.

Meanwhile, prominent businessman Boby Chemmanur told a TV channel that he has collected Rs one crore towards blood money for the release of Priya and would be flying to Oman soon to meet the person who has promised to help in the negotiations for her release.

He said the funds were collected by the Boche Fans Charitable Trust and expressed that any additional money required would be provided by the Malayali community and the Nimisha Priya Action Council.

Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Friday urged the central government to step in immediately to secure a commutation of her sentence.

Nimisha Priya, who hails from Kollengode in Palakkad district, was convicted in 2020 for the murder of a Yemeni man who had been her business partner.

The incident took place in July 2017. Her appeal was rejected by Yemen's Supreme Judicial Council in November last year, and the country's public prosecutor has now ordered that her sentence be carried out on Tuesday, July 16.

Priya is currently being held in Sana'a Central Prison.