Kerala - Alappuzha

Expatriate’s family seeks mercy plea

ALAPPUZHA: The relatives of Simil, 26, a native of Thottapally, who was arrested in Kuwait last November on a charge of murder have appealed to the Union government, NoRKA officials and Union Ministers to intervene to save his life. They fear he may be given a death sentence.

According to his parents, Shashi and Thelma, Simil was caught in a squabble in his room on November 21, 2007, with a few persons from Andhra Pradesh, all of whom were working in Kuwait. The quarrel ended in one of them, Suresh of Cuddapah in AP, being killed. Simil was arrested and jailed.

The family’s sources in Kuwait asked them to produce an affidavit of forgiveness from Suresh’s family before March 15 for Simil to escape a possible death sentence. However, Mr. Shashi says Suresh’s family, when approached through a mediator earlier this month, asked for Rs. 6 lakh for the affidavit.

“We do not have that much money with us. We are already in debt after sending Simil and his brother Sabu to Kuwait. We do not have a house of our own and are living in a house donated by Mata Amritanandamayi,” Mr. Shashi told mediapersons here on Saturday.

Simil was working at a resort in Kuwait for the last two-and-a-half years while his brother is a driver in Kuwait.

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