Kozhikode: The Malayalis from across the globe who rallied togetherto raise Rs35.45Cr, as ‘Blood Money', through a crowd-funding campaign to secure the release of Kohzikode native Abdul Rahim, who has been in jail for more than 18 years in Saudi Arabia and facing a death penalty.
Blood money, also called bloodwit, is money or some sort of compensation paid by an offender or their family group to the family or kin group of the victim.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has applauded the efforts of Malayalees.
Vijayan took to social media to say, "When the propagandists of hatred spread lies against the state, the Malayalees are raising their defence through stories of humanity and philanthropy.
For the release of Abdul Rahim, a native of Kozhikode who was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, Malayalees all over the world have joined hands and collected 34 crore rupees."
Abdul Rahim employed as a house driver of a Saudi citizen and the caretaker of a 15- year-old disabled boy. In Rahim's version of the fatal incident, while travelling with the boy one day, Rahim stopped the vehicle at a red light.
When the boy demanded Rahim violate the red signal, he accidentally hit and dislodged the tube of a life-support device attached to the boy's body after which the boy fell unconscious and died.
Rahim was sentenced to death in 2018 under Saudi law for murder and although the victim's family was adamant about the death penalty until the last moment, they eventually agreed to pardoning him if he paid 'blood money' of 15 million Saudi riyals.
The legal action committee that organised the crowdfunding to save Abdur Rahim, thanked the people of the state and said that the collection of funds has stopped and no one should send any more money.
The committee set up an app called 'SAVEABDULRAHIM' to collect the amount. More than Rs 30 crore were collected through the app, which was set up and the fundraising target was achieved by adding the amount received offline.
The social media campaign was driven by posts and requests to aid the release of Abdul Rahim. Many influencers, NRIs, businessmen, and social activists headed the campaign on social media to ensure he returned home after 18 years.
The committee said that it will contact the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to help secure Rahim's release before the April 15 deadline.
The Kerala Chief Minister also called the initiative, "a noble example of human love." (with ANI inputs)
