By IANS
Alappuzha (Kerala) : Thelma, mother of 26-year-old Simil currently on the death row in a Kuwaiti jail, spent Sunday visiting temples and praying as a court in Kuwait decides her son’s fate Monday.
For the past five months, time has been running out for Simil, who left Kerala for Kuwait two years ago for a better life but now finds himself in jail for accidental killing of his colleague.
Simil stabbed his friend Nov 21, 2007 in a scuffle that broke out between the winners and losers after a cricket match.
The sharp Kuwaiti knife with which Simil was defending himself during the scuffle accidentally sliced through the neck of his colleague, 31-year-old Suresh, a native of Cuddapah district in Andhra Pradesh. Suresh died within minutes.
Simil went to the nearest police station and owned up to his crime. According to the Kuwaiti la, if the family of the deceased pardons, the accused can be let off.
A document signed by Suresh’s wife pardoning Simil’s crime was sent to the Indian Embassy in Kuwait and that has been handed over to the Kuwaiti court, which will take up the case Monday.
It was through the efforts of Kerala’s opposition Congress leader Oommen Chandy, who helped raise Rs.1 million paid to the deceased’s wife, that the pardon was secured.
“Today (Sunday) morning, I visited two temples and at home I kneeled down and prayed to Jesus to help my son. I hope I will be able to hear the good news tomorrow (Monday) that my son is free,” Thelma, a Christian who became a Hindu after marriage, told IANS.
Another amount of Rs.500,000 was given by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy after Chandy took up the case with him.
Chandy raised the money through his trust to which three Kuwait-based Kerala businessmen – K.G. Abraham, Simon Varghese and Jacob Channapeta – contributed Rs.1 million.
Speaking to IANS, Chandy, on his return from a visit to the Middle East, said he is in constant touch with people in Kuwait.
“Many more Keralites have contributed because the expenses to employ an advocate for Simil are pretty high. We have done our best and hope that we will be able to hear the good news soon,” said Chandy.