Kerala Man In Death Row In Saudi Arabia; Efforts To Raise Blood Money Ongoing
Abdul Rahim, a native of Farook, Kozhikode, has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for the past 18 years. The Saudi court sentenced Abdul Rahim to death in the case of the murder of a 15-year-old Saudi citizen. Reports suggest that Saudi Arabia will carry out the execution on April 16.
At the same time, Abdul Rahim’s only window of hope is that he will be released if a blood money of 15 million Saudi Riyals, equivalent to Rs 33.24 crore, is paid. The deadline to pay the amount ends on April 16. Family members and well wishers, including locals, are making constant efforts to raise blood money. Various organisations and the expatriate community are also working together to support the release of Abdul Rahim.
Also Read | Abdul Rahim’s Release From Death Row: Rs 30 Crore Raised In 4 Days, Rs 4 Crore Pending
According to an Onmanorama report, an action committee has been formed to raise money for Abdul Rahim through crowdfunding. A mobile application named “SAVE ABDUL RAHIM” has also been developed as part of raising blood money.
A video went viral which showed a remarkable display of solidarity, people from all faiths and different parts of Kerala made their way to Abdul Rahim’s house to contribute to the amount
After working as an auto driver in Feroke, Abdul Rahim went to Saudi Arabia in search of better job opportunities and joined as a driver in Riyadh in 2006. His primary duty was to take care of a 15-year-old differently-abled boy in the family.
As per the Onmanorama report, one day when Abdul Rahim was driving the car with the boy, a device that supported the boy’s breathing, accidentally fell inside the car, resulting in his untimely demise. The situation emerged as, at a traffic signal, the boy reportedly urged Abdul Rahim to move the car forward, ignoring the red light. When he refused to do this, the boy began beating him, and amid the altercation, Abdul Rahim unintentionally touched the medical device, causing it to fall down.
The Saudi court sentenced Abdul Rahim for murder. In 2022, the appeal court upheld the verdict, and the country’s Supreme Court later confirmed the decision. Later, after long negotiations, the victim’s family agreed to accept the blood money.
On April 16, 2023, an agreement was signed. As per the agreement, the blood money or Diya, a form of financial compensation payable to the victim’s family in cases of accidental death or harm, should be paid within the next six months.
Committees across the Gulf regions and India are working tirelessly to bridge this financial gap. Riyadh’s Indian Embassy has also begun the procedures required to bring the collected money to Saudi Arabia. Reports suggest that businessman Boby Chemmannur and actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi are also making efforts to release Abdul Rahim.
