After securing a temporary stay on the execution of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen, the Grand Mufti of India, Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, is now seeking the intervention of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the next phase of diplomatic efforts.

Priya, a native of Palakkad district, was convicted in 2020 for the murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. She had been scheduled for execution on July 16, 2025. The execution was stayed following interventions from various quarters, including the Grand Mufti’s outreach to Yemeni Sufi cleric Shaikh Habeeb Ummer.

Jawad Mustafawy, the Mufti’s close aide and a scholar of Islamic philosophy in Yemen, told IANS that a formal letter to the President and Prime Minister will be sent Tuesday. The Mufti has requested permission to send a peace delegation that includes members of the Nimisha Action Council, Delhi-based lawyer Subhash Chandra, and two representatives assigned by the Mufti.

“The second phase of efforts has begun,” said Mustafawy. “A Yemeni team, including women delegates sent by Ummer, will visit the victim’s family to open dialogue and explore reconciliation.”

A memorandum signed by Priya’s family, local politicians, and supporters is also being prepared to thank Yemeni authorities and reinforce diplomatic outreach.

Yemeni court records state that Priya, with another nurse, allegedly drugged and dismembered Talal’s body following a personal and business dispute. Her final appeal was rejected in 2023.

The case remains sensitive, and diplomatic engagement from the Indian government is now viewed as critical to ensuring Priya’s life is spared.