Kozhikode: Influential Kerala Sunni leader and the tenth Grand Mufti of India, Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, has disclosed further details about his intervention in the case of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who remains on death row in Yemen.

In an interview to The Federal, Kanthapuram described his involvement as a humanitarian effort to support the Indian government’s attempts to secure relief for Priya. Under Yemeni law, only the victim’s family has the authority to pardon a convict, and early attempts to contact them had failed due to intense public outrage surrounding the case.

Kanthapuram said that progress was made through Sheikh Al-Habib Umar bin Hafeez, whose standing helped initiate dialogue with the victim’s family. This breakthrough led to the suspension of Priya’s execution scheduled for July 16. Talks are now ongoing among Yemeni officials, diplomats, and legal representatives, all within the framework of Islamic Shariah.

Though the death penalty has been withdrawn, clarity is still awaited on whether Nimisha Priya will be released or must serve another sentence. Kanthapuram stressed that only the victim’s legal heirs can provide a final resolution, and discussions are ongoing with their involvement.

He expressed concern over some Indian voices who, instead of offering calm support, had fuelled negativity. He highlighted the goodwill extended by Yemenis towards Indians, urging that such gestures be met with mutual respect.

Kanthapuram confirmed that both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of External Affairs were kept informed of developments. As the Indian government has limited capacity to act directly in northern Yemen, he relied on personal networks to create opportunities for negotiation.

This initiative, he said, has now allowed Indian officials to engage directly with Yemeni authorities and the victim’s heirs. 

He concluded that forgiveness represents the highest form of humanity.