A year after Pannir’s execution, his sister writes back
A year after her brother Pannir Selvam was executed for drug trafficking in Singapore, Angelia Pranthaman has written a final reply to his last letter. She is sharing their correspondence to humanize the individual behind the case and advocate against the death penalty.
Why it matters
The story provides a personal perspective on the human cost of capital punishment and the emotional aftermath for families.
One year after Pannir Selvam’s execution in Singapore, Angelia Pranthaman continues to hold her brother - and the words he left behind - close to her heart. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
PETALING JAYA: For 11 years, letters helped Angelia Pranthaman stay close to her brother, Pannir Selvam, despite the prison walls between them.
His final letter took her four months to finish reading. A year later, she picked up her pen to write back.
Pannir was arrested for drug trafficking at Singapore’s Woodlands checkpoint on Sept 3, 2014. Sentenced to death in 2017, he was executed on Oct 8 last year.
“His letter was written on Oct 7, 2025, at around 8.30pm, and he was executed the following morning, at 6-6.10am,” Angelia told FMT Lifestyle.
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