Nimisha Priya’s mother rushes to Yemen for daughter’s rescue

| Updated: 22 April, 2024 2:46 pm IST

At present India does not have any diplomatic relations with the Yemeni government.

NEW DELHI: In a desperate attempt to save her daughter, Premakumari, the mother of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya who is facing capital punishment has reached Yemen. Premakumari with human rights activist Samuel Jerome, has landed to visit Nimisha Priya, in Jail. Hailing from Kerala, the nurse is facing the death sentence in Yemen for the murder of Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni national.

Premakumari’s journey to Yemen is Nimisha’s last hope after her exhausting legal battle with the Yemeni Supreme Court which finally rejected her appeal on November 13. Nimisha Priya’s case has gained widespread attention, particularly in India, where her family has been tirelessly campaigning for her release. This visit is aimed at negotiating with tribal leaders and the family of the deceased Yemeni citizen to save Nimisha.

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Her mother, with the support of Advocate K.R. Subhash Chandran, approached the Delhi High Court seeking permission to travel to Yemen. The court urged the Indian government to decide on the matter within a week, noting the urgency of the situation as at present India does not have any diplomatic relations with the Yemeni government.

In 2017 Nimisha was found guilty of murdering Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemen citizen with the help of her colleague. She was also accused of chopping his body and then dumping it into the water tank of her house. Later, she was arrested while attempting to escape and received the death penalty from the court. After her trial in 2018, the court gave her the death penalty.

Reports suggest that Mahdi, trying to prevent Priya from leaving Yemen, confiscated her passport after their partnership for a clinic venture soured. Despite filing complaints against Mahdi and his subsequent arrest, Priya continued to face harassment. In a desperate attempt to retrieve her passport, she administered sedatives to Mahdi, leading to his accidental death from an overdose.

After several attempts, the court rejected all her pleas, meanwhile suggesting if the victim’s family agrees to pardon her it may be in exchange for blood money which is the compensation paid to the victim’s family.