Kochi: Hopes have been revived for the release of Nimisha Priya, a nurse by profession, who is currently facing the death sentence in Yemen.
Nimisha, who hails from Kollengode in Palakkad district, is now languishing in a Yemen jail after she choked to death a Yemen national in a water tank.
According to Save Nimisha Forum activists, the family members of Talal Abdo Mahdi, whom she killed, may receive blood money in return for her release.
But the release of Nimisha can only be possible if the Yemen court approves the arrangement. The main hurdle in her release is that her death sentence has already been upheld by the appeal court.
According to activists, they are at least hopeful of averting the death sentence for Nimisha even if her release does not materialise.
Blood money of Rs 1.25cr sought
It is learnt that the authorities have informed the Save Nimisha Forum activists that the blood money to be paid by her to the family members of the slain person amounts to Rs.1.25 crore.
The activists are now trying to collect the amount as they have already launched a WhatsApp group and sought help from the Malayalis around the world through social media.
But the main issue faced by the activists is that a formal channel for dialogue with the Yemen Government is not yet opened up.
Yet to come out of the legal tangle
However, not much headway has been made in the ongoing legal fight for her release since the special criminal court looking at the case did not consider her plea on Monday.
The advocate, who represented Nimisha, argued that the case could be considered only by the Supreme Court. While taking the argument at the face value, the court has recorded the plea for referring the case to the Supreme Court. The case is now slated for hearing on September 6.
State govt turns down plea
Earlier, the Kerala Government had turned down the plea by Nimisha for intervening in the case and saving her life. She told in her letter to the State Government that she had been forced to do such an extreme act as she was continuously tortured by the slain person.
Another nurse Hanan, who is her accomplice in the crime, has also been languishing in the Yemen jail after being sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nimisha, who was working as a nurse in a Yemen hospital, took the help of Mahdi, to start a clinic there. But later they fell out.
Nimisha had accused him of intimidating her. She also complained that by seizing her passport, he did not allow her to go back to Kerala. She also alleged that Mahdi had persuaded her to do perverse sex acts. He was also accused of forcefully marrying Nimisha as per his religious belief.
