Two Indian expatriates, Suresh Shanmugasundram and Kalidas from Tamil Nadu, who received a reprieve from execution in 2013 and were recently released from Kuwait Jail, returned to India and rejoined their loved ones back home.
The duo, who had spent over a decade in prison, were initially sentenced to death by hanging on 18 June, 2013. The timely efforts of Indian Embassy officials and direct intervention of the then Indian Ambassador resulted in the two receiving a reprieve from execution at the last minute. Their death sentence was commuted to life-long imprisonment.
Last week, in a humanitarian gesture the Kuwait government pardoned and released 100-long-serving prisoners. The two Indians were among those pardoned and repatriated to India as a gesture of good-will on the part of Kuwait.
Both of them have since reached home and are happily reunited with their families. Shanmugasundram expressed his joy to be back with his family, especially in that it happened on the day of his brother’s marriage. He along with Mr. Kalidas, expressed their gratitude to the Kuwait government for its magnanimity, and the Indian embassy officials for their tireless efforts in securing their release. They also thanked all Indian community members for their support and work in ensuring they were able to finally return safely to their families in India.
Social activist K. Mathi, who took up the issue with the Indian Embassy and persistently followed up on the case with embassy officials, and P.P. Narayanan, community welfare secretary at the embassy, who worked closely with the Kuwait Government over the release of the two from jail, are to be congratulated and thanked for their efforts and coordination. Incidentally, Mr. Narayanan, who retires from service on 30 August 2020, can take pride in that he was able to bring this tragic story to a happy ending, before his retirement.
