5 Telangana Men Reunite With Families After 18 Years In Dubai Jail

Five men from Telangana, who had been jailed in Dubai for 18 years, have finally returned home to their families.  A video of their triumphant reunion, facilitated by BRS leader KT Rama Rao, is now viral on social media.

In 2005, five individuals, Shivarathri Mallesh, Shivarathri Ravi, Gollem Nampally, Dundugula Laxman, and Shivarathri Hanmanthu, all residents of Telangana's Rajanna Sircilla district, were working in Dubai when they found themselves accused in the death of a Nepali national, who used to work as a watchman in the Gulf nation. They were charged and then handed 25 years of prison sentences.

The BRS has given credit to their leader and former Telangana minister KTR for championing their cause and persistently working towards their release through diplomatic channels. In 2011, he visited Nepal and met with the victim's family, presenting them with financial compensation of Rs 15 lakh.

Over in Dubai, the language barrier complicated the five Telangana men's legal situation, and despite appeals and efforts, they faced a harsh sentence from a Dubai court. Their initial amnesty petition was rejected by the Dubai court, prolonging their incarceration.

The turning point came with a change in Dubai's laws, opening a window of opportunity for their release. In September last year, Minister KTR, with the assistance of the Union Ministry of External Affairs, secured an audience with the ruler of Dubai Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to plead for amnesty in the case.

Eventually, the five men's mercy petition was approved and weeks of negotiations culminated into their release from jail.