NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday said that the government is extending all possible help after Yemen President Rashad Muhammed al-Alimi approved Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya‘s death sentence for murdering her husband.
“We are aware of the sentencing of Nimisha Priya in Yemen,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“We understand that the family of Priya is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter,” he added.
Kerala native Nimisha was sentenced to death for murder of one Talal Abdo Mahdi, who used to abuse and torture her, in 2017. She injected him with sedatives to retrieve her passport that was in his possession.
The prosecution established that Nimisha murdered Mahadi, with whom she had started a health clinic in Sana’a and subsequently married in July 2017. She chopped up her husband’s body and dumped the parts in a tank. The motive was purportedly revenge for the torture that Mahadi allegedly subjected her to. He also seized her passport, Nimisha told the court.
Since President al-Alimi’s approval could lead to the execution of her death sentence within a month, the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council and her family members intend to expedite their negotiations with the victim’s family and tribal leaders.
Nimisha’s mother is in Sana’a to negotiate the blood money to be paid to the victim’s family.
Negotiations came to a standstill in September when Abdullah Ameer, a lawyer appointed by the Indian Embassy, demanded a $20,000 (approximately Rs 16.7 lakh) pre-negotiation fee, halting further discussions.
Although the MEA had already provided $19,871 in July, Ameer insisted on a total fee of $40,000, payable in two installments, before he would resume talks.
The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council succeeded in raising the first installment through crowdfunding but later encountered challenges in ensuring transparency to donors about how the funds were being used.
