As the clock ticks down to the scheduled execution of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse from Kerala on death row in Yemen, a flurry of diplomatic and community efforts are underway to save her life. Priya was sentenced to death in 2020 for the alleged murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi, in 2017. Her final appeal was rejected in 2023, leaving blood money, a form of compensation paid to the victim's family, as the only remaining legal avenue to avert the execution under Yemeni law.

With the reported execution date of July 16 looming, influential Sunni Muslim cleric Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar has stepped in to bolster the efforts to secure Priya's release. Musliyar, who holds the title of Grand Mufti of India, is personally involved in attempting to reconcile with the victim's family. Sources indicate that he has engaged in talks with religious authorities in Yemen, who are in turn communicating with Mahdi's family. An office has been established at Musliyar's headquarters in Kerala to coordinate these efforts.

"Right now, the only hope is that the family accepts the blood money," a source familiar with the developments stated. Under Sharia law, which is the basis of Yemen's legal system, blood money is a legally recognized form of compensation to the victim's family and can be accepted in lieu of capital punishment.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has expressed its limitations in intervening directly in the matter, citing the sensitive political situation in Yemen. Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed the Supreme Court that the government is doing its "utmost possible" and has engaged with influential sheikhs in Yemen. However, he also acknowledged that there is a limit to what the Indian government can do.

The Supreme Court heard a plea from the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council'. The council sought direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save Nimisha. Nimisha's family has reportedly offered $1 million (₹8.6 crore) to Talal's family.

Nimisha's plight has garnered attention from various quarters. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene with Yemeni authorities.

Nimisha's case is complicated by the circumstances surrounding Mahdi's death. According to her family, Mahdi allegedly forged documents, confiscated her passport, and subjected her to abuse. In 2017, she allegedly sedated him to recover her documents, but an overdose resulted in his death.

As the final hours approach, the efforts to secure a pardon for Nimisha Priya are intensifying. The intervention of Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar and the ongoing negotiations for blood money represent the last remaining hope for saving her from execution. The world watches and waits, hoping for a miracle that will bring her back home.