Indian nurse Nimisha Priya to be executed in Yemen on July 16, says negotiator
New Delhi: Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who was convicted of murdering a Yemeni citizen, is scheduled to be executed in Yemen on July 16. The victim, Talal Abdo Mehdi, was a local man with whom Nimisha had run a clinic, reported The Indian Express.
Quoting Samuel Jerome Baskaran, a social worker involved in talks with Yemeni officials and Talal’s family, the news report mentioned that he confirmed the execution date. “The public prosecutor has sent the letter of prosecution to the jail authorities. The execution is set for July 16. However, there is still hope. The Indian government can still take steps to save her,” he said.
He also mentioned that efforts are ongoing to get a pardon from Talal’s family. “We made an offer to the family during the last meeting, but they haven’t responded yet. I am leaving for Yemen today to continue the discussions,” Samuel added.
Nimisha’s mother, Prema Kumari, has been in Yemen for the past year trying to save her daughter. She works as a domestic worker in Kochi and has visited Nimisha in prison a few times since arriving in Sanaa.
Nimisha, a nurse from Kerala, had worked in Yemen for several years. With Talal’s help, she ran a clinic, but she later alleged that he abused her mentally, physically, and financially. In 2017, she was accused of killing him. A trial court in Yemen sentenced her to death, and the country’s Supreme Court upheld the verdict. Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi approved the death sentence last year. Since January, the final order has been with the public prosecutor.
Her execution now depends on whether Talal’s family agrees to forgive her. Last year, after the president approved the death penalty, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it would offer all possible help to Nimisha and her family.
In December, Prema Kumari had approached the Delhi High Court to seek permission to travel to Yemen despite the ongoing conflict.
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Maharashtra secures historic sword of Raghuji Bhosale in London auction
LONDON/MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has acquired the sword of Raghuji Bhosale, founder of the Nagpur Bhosale dynasty and a distinguished commander in the Maratha army under Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, after winning it in an auction in London.
Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar formally took possession of the weapon on Monday. It is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on 18 August, where it will be received with ceremonial honours, as reported by The Indian Express.
News of the sword’s availability surfaced on 28 April this year. Minister Shelar consulted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, after which the government began preparations to participate in the auction.
A group of Marathi-speaking residents in London gathered to witness the handover. Hemant Dalvi, Deputy Director of the Archaeology Department, accompanied the minister during the formalities.
The sword is an 18th-century Maratha Firangi. It has a straight, single-edged European blade with a gold-inlaid Mulheri hilt and near the hilt is the European manufacturer’s name, while the spine bears a gold-inlaid Devanagari inscription reading “Shreemant Raghoji Bhosale Senasahib Subha Firang,” confirming its connection to Raghuji Bhosale. The hilt’s gold koftgari work and the green cloth-wrapped rounded pommel add to its rarity as Maratha weapons of the period typically lacked elaborate ornamentation or inscriptions.
Raghuji Bhosale I, ruled from Nagpur between 1695 and 1755. He expanded Maratha influence into Bengal, Odisha, Chanda, Chhattisgarh, Sambalpur and parts of southern India. His military campaigns, included victories over the Nawabs of Bengal, Cuddapah and Kurnool. The Nagpur kingdom was also known for its rich deposits of iron and copper, used for weapons and trade.
While few historians believe that the sword left India in the early 19th century, as part of the war booty taken by the British East India Company after their victory over the Bhosales at the Battle of Sitabuldi in 1817, others say it was taken later as a diplomatic gift.
The sword will be escorted from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to PL Deshpande Kala Academy in Dadar by a ceremonial bike rally upon its arrival in Mumbai next week. A cultural programme titled Gad Garjana will be held the same day in the presence of state dignitaries.
Minister Shelar described the acquisition as an important moment for Maharashtra’s heritage and extended his thanks to the Chief Minister, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar for their support in securing the artefact.
