Hundreds of people in Kerala have raised INR35.45 crore through a crowd-funding campaign to secure the release of Abdul Rahim, a native of Kozhikode who was convicted in Saudi Arabia for the death of a 15-year-old disabled boy.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the initiative and expressed support for Rahim’s freedom.

In a social media post, the Kerala CM stated, “When those who spread hatred against the state resort to lies, Malayalees are defending themselves through acts of humanity and philanthropy. For the release of Abdul Rahim, a resident of Kozhikode who was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, Malayalees from around the world have come together and raised 34 crore rupees.”

As per ANI, Abdul Rahim worked as a house driver for a Saudi citizen and also served as the caretaker of a 15-year-old disabled boy. According to Rahim’s account, one day while traveling with the boy, he stopped the vehicle at a red light.

When the boy requested Rahim to disregard the signal, an accident occurred where the tube connected to the boy’s life-support device was accidentally dislodged. As a result, the boy became unconscious and subsequently passed away.

Rahim was sentenced to death in 2018 under Saudi law for the charge of murder. Initially, the victim’s family insisted on the death penalty. However, they eventually agreed to pardon Rahim if he paid “blood money” amounting to 15 million Saudi riyals.

To raise funds and secure Rahim’s release, a legal action committee was formed, which created an app called ‘SAVEABDULRAHIM’ for collecting donations. Over ₹30 crore were collected through the app, and the remaining amount was received through offline contributions. Additionally, a social media campaign was launched to support Rahim’s cause.

The committee has announced its intention to contact the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to seek assistance in securing Rahim’s release before the April 15 deadline.