From correspondents in India, 08:00 PM IST
After months of suspense, the family of Kerala youth Simil, who was sentenced to death in Kuwait for inadvertently killing a fellow Indian worker, heaved a sigh of relief Monday as news came that he has been pardoned.
The 26-year-old Simil, who accidentally stabbed Suresh, his co-worker from Andhra Pradesh, Nov 21, 2007 during a scuffle after a cricket match, will now have to serve a seven-year jail term. Suresh's wife agreed to pardon Simil after she was paid over Rs.1 million as compensation. The money was raised by Kerala's Leader of Opposition Oomen Chandy, who had appealed for help to Malayalees in the region.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minsiter Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy contributed Rs.500,000 as the state government's contribution to save Simil, who hails from a poor family.
Simil's sister Sini told IANS that the worst was over with a Kuwaiti court accepting the pardon from Suresh's wife. 'Our mother is still crying and we are doing our best to console her. I have been told from Kuwait that there was a provision for an appeal against the seven-year prison sentence. Our well-wishers in Kuwait, who took up the case, will go in for an appeal,' said Sini.
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Malayali asscn.'s collecting and donating a solatium to the victim's wife is a nice example of human compassion. Of course, that is perfectly warranted in this case of death by stabbing in a fit of emotions perhaps. AP's CM, Mr Samuel Rajshekhar Reddy's arranging govt.succour for the widow of Suresh is also appreciated.
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