Nimisha Priya Case, July 16 -- The execution of Nimisha Priya, the Kerala nurse on a death row in Yemen since 2020, was deferred on July 15, a day before the scheduled date.

Prominent Muslim cleric Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar is being hailed for initiating the mediation efforts through his long-time friend and Yemeni Sufi Islamic scholar Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz.

Abubakr's office issued a formal statement on July 15 saying that the initiative began after the cleric was approached last Friday by Chandy Oommen, the Congress MLA from Puthuppally. Chandy sought the Grand Mufti's assistance due to his longstanding ties with leading Sufi scholars in Yemen, the statement said.

"With a deep sense of national responsibility and humani...