Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala convicted of murder in Yemen, was scheduled for execution on July 16. However, her execution has been halted for now due to urgent intervention by Indian authorities, according to reports on Tuesday. She is currently imprisoned in Sana'a, a region under the control of Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Government’s Efforts and Role of Grand Mufti

Indian government officials worked hard in recent days to postpone Priya's execution. According to ANI, sources revealed that authorities requested more time to help Priya’s family negotiate a settlement with the victim’s family. This potential settlement could involve paying ‘blood money’, a form of compensation allowed under Islamic law.

Additionally, Sunni Muslim leader Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, known as the ‘Grand Mufti of India’, played a key role in halting the execution. According to PTI, Kanthapuram had earlier contacted Yemen’s religious leaders to help Priya’s case. His office stated, “The fact that he is a follower of Sheikh Habib Umar's Sufi order and the son of another prominent Sufi leader offers great hope.”

Victim’s Family Agrees to Talks

Another positive development came when the family of Talal Abdo Mehdi, the Yemeni victim, agreed to meet with representatives of the influential Yemeni scholar Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz. This meeting was scheduled in Dhamar on Tuesday.

Previously, efforts to contact Talal’s family had failed. Sources told PTI that it was only through Kanthapuram’s intervention that talks became possible for the first time.

Background of the Case

Nimisha Priya, 37, hails from Kerala’s Palakkad district. She moved to Yemen’s capital, Sana'a, in 2011 to work as a nurse. She partnered with Talal Mehdi to open a clinic, which was required for foreign nationals to work legally in Yemen.

However, trouble began when Talal seized Priya’s passport. In an attempt to retrieve it, Priya sedated him. Sadly, Talal died from a drug overdose. Later, Priya and her colleague dismembered his body and disposed of it in a water tank. In 2017, a Yemeni court sentenced her to death.

Islamic Law Offers Right to Pardon

Speaking on Tuesday, Kanthapuram explained that under Islamic law, the victim’s family holds the right to forgive the accused. He said, “Islam has another law. If the murderer is sentenced to death, the family of the victim has the right to pardon.”

Kanthapuram mentioned he did not know the victim’s family personally but contacted Yemeni scholars who agreed to help. Later, they officially informed him that Priya’s execution had been postponed to facilitate further discussions.

Indian Government's Limited Role

Earlier, India’s Attorney General R Venkataramani admitted in the Supreme Court that the government had done as much as it could. “There is a point till which the Government of India can go. We have reached that,” he said. He added that India had requested help from “an influential sheikh” in Yemen but could not guarantee results.