Telangana workers return home from Dubai prison after 18 years

The emotional reunion was made possible through the relentless efforts of BRS working president and Sircilla legislator KT Rama Rao

Hyderabad: In a heartwarming scene at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad here on Wednesday morning, tears of joy flowed as families embraced their loved ones who were serving a jail term for 18 years in Dubai. The emotional reunion was made possible through the relentless efforts of BRS working president and Sircilla legislator KT Rama Rao.

Two of the five workers from Telangana, who were convicted in a murder case in Dubai, returned home on Wednesday. The siblings Shivarathri Mallesh and his brother Ravi got reunited with their families. Dundugula Laxman returned two months ago, while Shivarathri Hanmanthu came home two days ago. The fifth person Nampally Venkati is likely to be released from jail next month.

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The five persons – Shivarathri Mallesh, his brother Shivarathri Ravi, Gollem Nampally, Dundugula Laxman, from Rajanna Sircilla district and Shivarathri Hanmanthu from Jagitial district – had been working in Dubai when they were implicated in the case of a Nepali national’s death, leading to their imprisonment for 10 years in 2006. However, after they filed an appeal in a higher court, a 25-year sentence was awarded.

According to Dubai’s laws, the convicts can be released if the family members of the deceased sought forgiveness. After the families of prisoners approached him, KT Rama Rao took decisive action in 2011. He visited the family members of the deceased in Nepal, extending a gesture of goodwill with a check of Rs.15 lakh towards compensation or Diyyah (blood money). Though the victim’s family in Nepal pardoned them under Islamic law, the Telangana NRIs were languishing in jail for some legal reasons.

Last year, Rama Rao intensified his efforts, urging the United Arab Emirates government to approve the mercy petition of the five men. He also engaged in discussions with top officials in Dubai regarding the case. The culmination of these efforts resulted in the Dubai court granting amnesty, leading to the release of all five men.

So glad these guys are home 😊 https://t.co/bovGSMJ19t

— KTR (@KTRBRS) February 21, 2024

Taking it a step further, the BRS working president also facilitated their journey back home by arranging flight tickets for their return. Expressing his joy, he shared a video of the emotional reunion on social media, stating, “So glad these guys are home.”