Ray of hope for Indian nurse Nimisha Priya facing death sentence in Yemen

Thiruvananthapuram: In a fresh ray of hope for Malayali nurse Nimisha Priya facing death sentence in Yemen, an Islamic scholar from Kerala who intervened into the matter is learnt to have received information that the family of the deceased Yemeni national almost agreed to give relief to Priya from death sentence.

Grand Mufti of India and All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama general secretary Kanthapuram A P Abubaker Musaliyar, who had earlier intervened in the matter, is said to have received the information.

Priya, 37, hailing from Palakkad district, is facing death row on charges of murdering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdu Mahdi following a dispute in 2017.

Sources close to Abubaker said that except the brother of Mahdi, all other family members and the tribal segment leaders agreed not to execute the death sentence. Further decisions need to be taken by the court. Mahdi's mother's stand could be crucial. So far she was learnt to have agreed not to go execute the death sentence.

Following Abubaker's request, Yemeni Sufi scholar Shaikh Habeeb Ummer had initiated meetings in northern Yemen with representatives of Mahdi's family and leaders of the tribal community he represented. The execution scheduled to be held on July 16 was subsequently postponed.