Emotional reception to Kerala man who returns from Saudi prison after two decades

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's Kozhikode district on Thursday witnessed an emotional reunion of a youth with his mother and other dear and near ones after around two decades.

Abdul Rahim of Feroke in Kozhikode, who was convicted for the killing of a differently-abled child in 2006 in Saudi Arabia, returned home on Thursday early morning as his prison term ended.

Hundreds of people who gathered at the premises of his house from morning couldn't hold their excitement and emotions as Rahim hugged his elderly mother Fathima. Rahim was all in tears as people cheered him up.

 “Thanks to all,” said Rahim, hugging his mother.

The family has more reasons to cheer as their dear one returns home on Bakrid day.

In one of the biggest crowdfunding initiatives that the state ever witnessed, Rs. 34 crore was raised in a short time in 2024 to meet the blood money of 15 million Saudi Riyals to relieve Rahim from death sentence.

The mother and son and others could not hold their emotions. 

Rahim went abroad in 2006 at the age of 20 and took up the job of a driver of a family. The differently abled boy in the family entered into an altercation with him. A breathing support  apparatus attached to the boy's body got detached accidentally in the altercation. Rahim did not notice it. The boy subsequently died and Rahim was found guilty.

Though he was awarded death sentence, the family of the deceased child agreed to accept blood money of 15 million Saudi Riyals in 2024 considering the plea that the killing happened accidentally.

Since the family was financially weak, an action council formed to support him initiated the crowd funding.