Who Is Abdul Rahim? Keralites Crowdfund Rs 35.45 Cr To Save Him On Death Row In Saudi

who is abdul rahim? keralites crowdfund rs 35.45 cr to save him on death row in saudi

Hundreds of Malayalis from around the world have come together and collected Rs 35.45 crore through a crowd-funding campaign to secure the release of the Kozhikode native Abdul Rahim, who was convicted in Saudi Arabia for over 18 years for causing the death of a 15-year-old disabled boy.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also hailed the initiative to help free Rahim. “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,” said Kerala CM in his post on X.

Who Is Abdul Rahim?

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, according to ANI, 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.

How People Contributed For Rahim’s Release?

A legal action committee was formed to organise the crowdfunding to save Abdur Rahim. 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 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 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.