Hundreds of individuals in Kerala have amassed INR 35.45 crore via a crowd-funding campaign to facilitate the release of Abdul Rahim, a native of Kozhikode who was convicted in Saudi Arabia for the demise of a 15-year-old disabled boy.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan commended the endeavor and extended his backing for Rahim’s liberty.
In a social media statement, the Kerala CM remarked, “When detractors of the state resort to falsehoods, Malayalees are countering them through acts of compassion and benevolence. To secure the freedom of Abdul Rahim, a Kozhikode resident condemned to death in Saudi Arabia, Malayalees worldwide have united and raised 34 crore rupees.”
According to ANI, Abdul Rahim was employed as a house driver for a Saudi national and also served as the caregiver for a 15-year-old disabled boy. Per Rahim’s testimony, an accident occurred while he was transporting the boy, leading to the dislodging of the tube connected to the boy’s life-support apparatus when they stopped at a red light upon the boy’s insistence, resulting in his unconsciousness and subsequent demise.
Rahim was sentenced to death in 2018 under Saudi law for the charge of homicide. Initially, the victim’s family demanded capital punishment, but they later agreed to pardon Rahim if he paid “blood money” totaling 15 million Saudi riyals.
To gather funds and secure Rahim’s release, a legal action committee was established, which developed an app named ‘SAVEABDULRAHIM’ for donation collection. Over ₹30 crore were amassed through the app, with the remainder received via offline contributions. Additionally, a social media initiative was launched to champion Rahim’s cause.
The committee has expressed its intention to reach out to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to solicit assistance in securing Rahim’s release before the April 15 deadline.
