Indian returns lost purse, money to its rightful owner in UAE

In a noble act, a 36-year-old Indian returned a purse containing 25,000 dirhams (USD 6,800) and other important documents that he found lying on a pavement in the UAE to its rightful owner, an Italian woman.

On a Ramadan evening, Raheel Pericheri was going to the nearest mosque to offer prayers when he came across a small blue purse lying on a pavement in the emirate's capital Abu Dhabi.

He was surprised to see several credit cards, Dh500 notes and other documents. Pericheri then took it upon himself to make sure the bag was returned to its rightful owner.

The owner of the purse, Elvira, told Emirates 24|7 that she lost the purse containing all her UAE and Italian documents and the money to buy air tickets for herself and her two children to join her husband in Italy who is recovering from a heart-attack.

"I was carrying Dh 25,000 to buy three tickets for me and my two sons to fly to Italy. My husband, an engineer in Abu Dhabi had a heart attack and we had to repatriate him to Italy," she said.

"I am so grateful to Rasheed, who took the pain to track me down and hand over the purse."

Pericheri managed to reach her via her driving licence that was in the purse."When I called her to inform her that I had found the purse, with the money, she began crying," said Pericheri.

"She said a big thank you and gave me some money also as a gesture of gratitude."