The global Malayali community’s prayers were answered as Abdul Rahim, who spent two decades in a Saudi prison, returned home to Kozhikode. Emotions ran high as his mother embraced him, expressing gratitude for the support received. Rahim, a native of Kodampuzha, landed at Karipur International Airport early morning after a long-awaited flight from Riyadh.
Relatives, friends, and well-wishers gathered outside the airport, marking the end of Rahim’s painful journey. Stepping onto Kerala soil after years of confinement, the 46-year-old Rahim was visibly moved. He thanked everyone who stood by him emotionally and financially during his uncertain years, breaking down in tears at the airport.
His aged mother, Fathima, who had waited 20 years to see her son, was the most eager for his return. Back in Kodampuzha, she anxiously awaited his arrival, surrounded by a welcoming crowd. A year ago, she had a brief meeting with him in a Saudi jail.
Rahim’s troubles began in 2006 when he accidentally caused the death of a Saudi family’s differently-abled son while working as a house driver in Riyadh. Despite maintaining it was an accident, he was sentenced to death in 2012. The Malayali community globally raised Rs 34 crore to secure his release after the victim’s family agreed to pardon him.
His death sentence was revoked in 2024, but he had to complete a 20-year prison term before his recent release. Abdul Rahim, now a middle-aged man, returned home, marking the end of a long and challenging chapter.
