Thiruvananthapuram: As diplomatic efforts continue to intensify for the release of Nimisha Priya, the Kerala nurse sentenced to death in Yemen, her husband, Tomy Thomas, expressed hope that a resolution could be reached through the payment of blood money.
The 35-year-old nurse, who has been in jail in Yemen since 2017, faces execution after her death sentence was approved by Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi earlier this month. The case revolves around the tragic death of her business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, with whom she had a dispute. Nimisha reportedly injected Mahdi with sedatives to recover her confiscated passport, but the overdose resulted in his death.
In an emotional statement, Tomy Thomas, who returned to Kerala years ago, shared the family’s distress and the hope that blood money could offer a way out. “Numerous people are working to resolve this issue, and we are hoping to connect with the family of Mahdi for a pardon,” he said. He also spoke of the toll the situation has taken on their daughter, who misses the presence of her mother. “At times, she connects with her mother, but she is missing a mother’s attention and love,” Thomas added.
Nimisha Priya, originally from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her financially struggling family. After working in hospitals, she opened her own clinic. However, a dispute with her business partner led to her arrest and subsequent death sentence.
The urgency surrounding her case heightened following the confirmation of her death sentence by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. The ruling left open the possibility of averting execution if the victim’s family accepted compensation, known as blood money or ‘diya’.
The family’s efforts to resolve the case have gained significant international attention. Prema Kumari, Nimisha’s mother, has been at the forefront of the campaign, traveling to Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, to negotiate the blood money with Mahdi’s family. The Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, a group of NRI social workers, has also been actively supporting her cause.
Appearing on Malayalam television from Yemen, a tearful Prema Kumari pleaded for urgent intervention. “I am asking for a chance to save my daughter’s life,” she said, urging the Indian government and international community to step in.
