
Kenya bus accident: Pezhakkappilly bids tearful adieu to Jasna and Roohi
It was Jasna and Roohi's last visit to their ancestral home in Pezhakkappilly, a village in Ernakulam's Muvattupuzha. Instead of holding each other's hands, as they had done in their earlier visits, the mother and daughter, who were among the five Keralites killed in a bus accident in Kenya on June 9, reached in ambulances to a village enveloped in profound sorrow and grief.
Relatives and loved ones recalled fond memories of Jasna and Roohi, who had visited Kerala, with Jasna's husband, Muhammad Hanif, just three months ago for a relative's wedding in Pezhakkappilly.
They had spent time with family and neighbours, sharing laughter and creating cherished moments. As those memories resurfaced on Sunday, the entire village gathered to catch one final glimpse of Jasna and little Roohi and pay their respects.
Finally, the mother and daughter were laid to rest at the Pezhakkappilly Juma Masjid cemetery.
Jasna, the third daughter of Makkar and Laila from Kuttikkattuchal in Pezhakkappilly, had been living in Qatar with Hanif, a Thrissur native, and their daughter.
The family had set out on a vacation to Kenya during the Eid al-Adha holidays. However, tragedy hit when the bus carrying the 28-member group lost control and plunged into a gorge in northeastern Kenya, approximately 150 km from Nairobi.
None of Jasna's immediate family members were in Kerala at the time. Her parents, brother Jasal and sister Jasmi were living in Dubai.
Despite hearing the tragic news, her parents were unable to immediately travel to Kerala, as Jasal's wife was in the final stages of pregnancy.
When they learnt that the mortal remains would be repatriated, Jasna's parents returned to their family home with a heavy heart and the sad realisation that their daughter and granddaughter had gone to a place from which they would never return.

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NDTV
22-07-2025
- NDTV
"Can Only Shoot Me": Pakistan Woman's Last Words Before Family Killed Her
Islamabad: A horrific video has emerged on social media showing the cold-blooded murder of a young couple from Pakistan's Balochistan province, who allegedly got married against their families in an "dishonour" killing. The viral footage shows a group of people arriving in an SUV and pickup trucks at a deserted area on the outskirts of Quetta, the provincial capital, where the couple is taken out of the vehicles. The woman, with her head covered with a shawl, was given a copy of the Qur'an. She takes the religious text and walks ahead towards the deserted hill as a crowd looks on. Speaking in the regional Brahavi dialect, she asks a man, "Walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me." The man follows her to some distance, after which she says, "You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that." It is not clear what the woman meant by "nothing more than that," but the man who followed her took her instructions as a cue and aimed a pistol at her back. He then fires multiple rounds of shots from close range. After the third shot is heard, the woman falls on the ground, presumably dead. More series of gunshots are heard, and then the video shows a bloodied man lying near the woman's body, while a crowd cheers on. The incident reportedly happened three days before Eid al-Adha 2025 in May. After the video went viral, it caused outrage in Pakistan and beyond, with activists calling for swift justice in the case. They also call for laws against crimes which target women who dare to defy local traditions and cultures. The local police have initiated a probe into the case and identified the couple as Bano Bibi and Ahsan Ullah. So far, as many as 13 suspects have been arrested in the "dishonour" killing case. Police said the couple's killing was ordered by tribal elder, Sardar Satakzai, after the woman's brother approached him complaining about her marriage, which happened without his consent, according to a report by The Guardian. The tribal leader and the woman's brother were among the 13 people arrested, police chief Naveed Akhtar said. Per the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) data, the country reported at least 405 "dishonour" killings in 2024, with activists estimating the real number to be much higher, as such cases are often not reported.


NDTV
17-07-2025
- NDTV
The Anguish Of Nimisha Priya And The Imperative Of Compassion
My heart, like those of countless fellow Keralites, is heavy with the plight of Nimisha Priya. This young woman, a daughter of our soil, finds herself ensnared in a legal quagmire of the most profound and perilous nature in Yemen, facing the grim prospect of the gallows. It is a predicament that transcends mere jurisprudence; it is a deeply human tragedy, especially for her family - parents, husband and child - resonating with the universal fear of losing a loved one to circumstances far beyond their control. Death Of A Dream Nimisha's story is, sadly, one that epitomises the hopes and vulnerabilities of many Keralites who seek opportunity in distant lands. She embarked for Yemen with dreams of a better future, a future for herself and, crucially, for her family back in Kerala. Yet, these dreams tragically transmuted into a nightmare, culminating in the death of a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi. Though it seems this individual, her employer and partner, was harassing and abusing her, leading to her alleged criminal killing of him, her subsequent conviction and death sentence remains inexpressibly tragic. While the intricacies of the Yemeni legal system, particularly its adherence to Sharia law, are profoundly different from our own, the immediate human crisis demands our utmost attention and empathy. A Complex Situation The core of her precarious situation lies in the concept of 'blood money' or diya - a pathway to pardon recognised under Sharia law, whereby the victim's family may accept financial compensation in lieu of execution. Indians' collective efforts, both governmental and private, have been tirelessly directed towards this avenue. The family has not so far accepted the amounts offered and is insisting on her execution. The reported postponement of her execution, originally scheduled for today - albeit a temporary deferral - offers a flicker of hope, a precious window of opportunity that we must seize with every fibre of our being. The path to her possible reprieve has been fraught, to say the least. Our Ministry of External Affairs has been doing its best, in circumstances complicated by the Civil War in Yemen and the irregular situation of the authorities holding her, as well as by the fact that the Indian Embassy has been relocated out of the country because of the grim political and security situation there, and is operating from a camp office in Djibouti in North Africa since April 2015. This operational constraint, born of dire necessity, has unfortunately hampered the efficacy of our diplomatic overtures thus far. The Intervention Of The Grand Mufti It is within this challenging landscape that a new, vital beacon of hope has emerged. The intervention of the Grand Mufti of India, Ustad Kanthapuram A.P. Abubakar Musliyar, the esteemed General Secretary of All India Sunni Jamiatul Ulama and Chancellor of Jamia Markaz, through his long-standing friendship with the revered Yemeni Sufi Islamic scholar Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz, offers a slender ray of hope and even optimism. All of Kerala now unites in fervent prayer for the success of his crucial efforts. In an era increasingly characterised by attempts to divide people and foster hatred and animosity in the name of religion and community, the venerable Kanthapuram Ustad has delivered a powerful and timely message. His humanitarian initiative underscores a fundamental truth: that humanity stands paramount above all divisions of religion, gender or community. It is a testament to the enduring power of compassion and cross-cultural understanding in navigating even the most intractable of crises. This is not about condoning any alleged wrongdoing, but about upholding the fundamental human right to life, and exploring every conceivable diplomatic and humanitarian channel to secure her reprieve. It is a stark reminder of the complexities inherent in the lives of our citizens who seek their fortunes abroad, often in regions fraught with political instability and distinct legal frameworks. The case of Nimisha Priya compels us to reflect on the imperative of robust consular support and proactive engagement in safeguarding the interests of our diaspora. Our government has, commendably, stated its commitment to doing "whatever is utmost possible", and indeed, the latest intervention by such a respected religious figure has bought us invaluable time. We Need A Diplomatic Offensive As a public representative from her home state, my plea is not merely for bureaucratic intervention, but for a concerted, compassionate, and indefatigable diplomatic offensive. We must ensure that every conceivable effort is made to engage with the victim's family, to appeal to their sense of forbearance, and to facilitate any viable resolution through the established legal and customary pathways in Yemen. This is a moment that calls for the very best of Indian diplomacy and humanitarian outreach. We owe it to Nimisha Priya, and to every Indian citizen abroad, to exhaust every avenue to bring her home, or at the very least, to save her life. For in saving one life, we reaffirm our collective humanity - and our solidarity with every Indian in distress, wherever she may be, anywhere in the world. (Shashi Tharoor has been a Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009. He is an author and a former diplomat.) Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author


The Print
15-07-2025
- The Print
Day before her execution, a ray of hope for Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen
'It's good news that they have stayed the order. And it gives us some breathing time to initiate negotiations,' Advocate Subhash Chandran K.R, a member of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, told ThePrint. This comes a day after Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, the general secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama and chancellor of Jamia Markaz, initiated a new mediation effort through his long-time friend and Yemeni Sufi Islamic scholar Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz. Thiruvananthapuram: The execution of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen since 2020, was postponed Tuesday, a day before the scheduled date. Subhash said the amount of blood money—monetary compensation offered to the family of a murdered person—and further proceedings will be decided in the upcoming days. Hailing from Kerala's Palakkad district, Priya was convicted of murdering Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. He was her partner in setting up a clinic in the Yemeni capital city of Sana'a in 2015. Mahdi began embezzling money and torturing Priya soon after the clinic was set up, according to the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council. He also seized her passport and other documents. The nurse then attempted to sedate him in order to retrieve the documents, and he died of an overdose in the process, it has been alleged. The council was formed in September 2020 by a group of non-resident Keralites in different parts of India and abroad with the objective to ensure 'access of justice' to Priya and to raise funds through donations for paying blood money. Sana'a, where she is imprisoned, is under Houthi control, complicating the matter. The central government informed the Supreme Court Monday it cannot do anything further in the matter. 'There is nothing much the government can do. Looking at the sensitivity of Yemen, it's not diplomatically recognised. Blood money is a private negotiation,' Attorney General R. Venkataramani, representing the Centre, told the court. Reacting to the news of the execution being postponed, Thiruvananthapuram MP and former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor said interventions have been taking place since 2020. 'Although India has an embassy in Yemen, due to the political and security situation in the country, the Indian embassy in Sana'a has been functioning temporarily from a camp office in Djibouti since April 2015. Because of this, our diplomatic efforts have so far not been successful,' he wrote on social media Tuesday. He also lauded Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar's efforts. 'At a time like today, when efforts are being made to divide people in the name of religion and community and to spread hatred and animosity, the respected Kanthapuram Ustad is showing us that humanity is of the utmost importance,' Tharoor wrote. Also Read: Appeal rejected, Indian nurse on death row in Yemen has 2 options: President's pardon or 'blood money' The case and the family A trained nurse, Priya moved to Yemen in 2008 with her husband to work at a private hospital in Sana'a. After working for a few years, her husband and minor daughter returned to India in 2014 due to financial issues. They were unable to go back because of the civil war in Yemen and visa restrictions. At present, her husband works as an auto-rickshaw driver, and her 12-year-old daughter lives in a convent in their native place. In 2015, Priya joined hands with Mahdi to set up her own clinic in Sana'a, since Yemeni law mandates no clinic or businesses can be opened without a local partner. A petition filed by the council earlier this month in the Supreme Court, seeking the Centre's intervention to facilitate diplomatic negotiations with the victim's family, states that Mahdi accompanied Priya to Kerala in 2015 when she came on a month-long holiday. At that time, he stole a wedding photograph of Priya, which he later manipulated to claim he was married to her. The petition also alleges that Mahdi started cornering all the revenue after the clinic was set up. 'He became hostile when Nimisha questioned him about the embezzlement. He later threatened her, forged documents to claim that she was married to him as per his religion, and brutally tortured her,' the petition states. It further alleges that Mahdi manipulated ownership documents and took money from her monthly earnings, claiming she was his wife. Later, Mahdi seized her passport, physically tortured and threatened her at gunpoint on multiple occasions under the influence of drugs, the document states. The petition also states that Priya was put in jail for six days when she tried to complain against him. In July 2017, following advice from a warden of a jail near her clinic, where Mahdi had previously been imprisoned, Priya planned to sedate him to retrieve her documents. 'However, sedation did not affect Mr. Mahdi, who was a substance abuser. She tried sedating him again, using a stronger sedative to retrieve her passport, but he died within a few minutes due to a drug overdose,' it says. After her sentencing by a trial court in 2020, she filed appeals against the death penalty, which were dismissed both by the first appellate court and by the Supreme Judicial Council of Yemen. 'What we understood is that there was huge pressure from tribal groups on the family not to give her a pardon. That is why they weren't coming forward. Yesterday, Kanthapuram Musliyar's involvement made it easier to talk to the cleric,' the petition said. It added Priya was forced to sign confessional documents at the beginning, which complicated the case. 'She didn't know it was a confession. She didn't have anyone to help her, no lawyer to defend her. The political situation was also such that there was an ongoing civil war. She was forced to sign those.' (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Will do whatever we can, says Iranian official on Nimisha Priya, nurse facing death sentence in Yemen