How Did Grand Mufti Sheikh Kanthapuram Help Postpone Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya’s Execution in Yemen?

Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who was scheduled to be executed in Yemen on Tuesday, received a significant reprieve as authorities postponed her execution. The last-minute decision came after sustained efforts by Indian authorities and the intervention of the 'Grand Mufti of India'.

Nimisha, from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, was sentenced to death in 2020 for the alleged murder of Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. Until Monday, her execution was believed to be imminent, with the Indian government informing the Supreme Court that it had limited diplomatic leeway in Yemen, where Nimisha is lodged in a Houthi-controlled prison and India has no diplomatic presence. 

How the Execution Was Put on Hold

Sheikh Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, the Grand Mufti of India, played a key role in facilitating the postponement. The Sunni Muslim leader contacted Islamic scholars in Yemen, who then engaged in discussions on Nimisha’s death row case. 

Earlier reports suggested that, following the Grand Mufti’s intervention, talks were held between a representative of a Sufi scholar and a member of the victim’s family in Yemen. Meanwhile, Indian officials remained in touch with local jail authorities and Yemen’s prosecutor’s office, seeking additional time for Nimisha’s family to pursue a resolution with the victim’s family.

What Lies Ahead for Nimisha Priya

While the postponement brings relief, the effort to stop Nimisha’s execution entirely is still ongoing. The Grand Mufti shared that attempts are being made to secure a pardon from the victim’s family, a provision possible under Yemen’s Sharia law through the payment of ‘blood money’ or Diya.

Nimisha’s family has reportedly offered ₹8.6 crore as compensation to the victim’s family in an effort to save her life. “In Islam, there is a practice of accepting Diya instead of execution. I have requested the victim’s family to accept this, and discussions are ongoing,” the Grand Mufti told news agency ANI.

For now, Nimisha Priya’s family remains hopeful that the postponement will open a pathway to bring her back to India safely, avoiding the death penalty altogether.

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