India is providing all possible assistance in the case of Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala who has been sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi. Reports suggest that the execution could occur within a month unless Mahdi's family grants a pardon, as per Yemeni law.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed that the government is aware of the situation and is supporting Priya's family in exploring available options. "We understand that Priya's family is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter," Jaiswal stated.
Priya, who has been in Yemeni custody since 2017, was convicted in 2018 for killing Mahdi following a trial in Yemen. Despite the death sentence, her family has been vigorously advocating for her release. Her mother, Prema Kumari, traveled to Yemen's capital, Sana'a, earlier this year in an effort to secure a pardon for her daughter and to negotiate "blood money" with Mahdi's family. The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, comprising NRI social workers in Yemen, has been supporting these efforts.
However, negotiations faced setbacks in September when the lawyer hired by the Indian Embassy demanded additional funds that the Action Council had struggled to raise. K Babu, the MLA from Nenmara, stated that the community had raised $40,000 (around ₹34.2 lakh) to support the legal battle, but the situation remained unresolved. "We worked tirelessly to save Nimisha Priya's life, but our efforts ended in vain," Babu said, noting that political leaders from all parties had rallied behind the cause.
Priya, who moved to Yemen in 2014, initially met Mahdi, who offered to help her set up a clinic in Yemen. They formed a business partnership in 2015, but tensions soon escalated. Priya has claimed that Mahdi abused and tortured her, even confiscating her passport, which prevented her from returning to India. Reports suggest that Mahdi misrepresented himself as Priya's husband to Yemeni authorities, further complicating her situation. In an attempt to recover her passport, Priya allegedly injected Mahdi with sedatives, but the dose led to his death.