Rs 34 cr raised via crowdfunding to secure Kerala man's release from Saudi jail
Kozhikode, Apr 12: In a display of solidarity and compassion, people in Kerala have rallied together to raise an astounding Rs 34 crore to save a man sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia.
Abdul Rahim, who hails from Kozhikode, has spent 18 years behind bars in the Gulf nation for allegedly killing a Saudi boy in 2006.
Until five days ago, the action committee, formed to work for the release of Rahim, could raise only a meagre amount but as the campaign intensified, help poured in from Kerala people from across the world, the organisers said on Friday.
Local people said Rahim was jailed in 2006 after he accidently caused the death of a specially-abled boy whom he was taking care of. He was sentenced to death in 2018 after the family of the Saudi boy refused to grant amnesty.
The action committee members told the media that the appeals were rejected by the top courts but later the family agreed to pardon Rahim if he pays the 'blood money.'
"More than 75 organisations in Riyadh, Kerala-based businessman Bobby Chemmannur, various political organisations in the state, the common people all helped us to raise the money," an organiser told the media here.
His mother said she never thought that such an amount could be raised.
"I had no hope as we have no means to raise Rs 34 crore. But somehow it was all made possible," she said.
Chemmanur organised multiple events in the past few days to raise money. He also organised the sale of one of his products and donated the whole amount to the cause.
The action committee had created a mobile application to ensure transparency in the matter.
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Udupi CNG fuel shortage: Long queues of vehicles has become a common sight
Udupi (Karnataka) Apr 29: The coastal district of Udupi is going through a severe shortage of Compressed Natural Gas for Automotive applications.
Although the number of CNG fuel-based vehicles is increasing, the number of CNG filling stations in Udupi district has not risen. In the existing bunks, the supply is not as high as the demand. Due to this, motorists, especially rickshaw drivers have to wait for hours to get their fuel tanks filled.
“I've been waiting for not less than four-five hours everyday for the past one week. Most of the time my vehicle is idle and I am not able to take up fares, as a result of which I have lost so much of income and my bank obligations will take a beating if this continues any longer," Sundar Shetty, a rickshaw driver in Udupi said.
CNG fuel is not being supplied to existing bunks as per demand. And as the demand is high, the stock depletes quickly and sometimes the rickshaws are parked overnight in a queue for early morning refuelling, leaders of the CNG Autorickshaw Drivers Association said.
In Udupi town, there is only one bunk that has CNG facility, but most of the time it is empty.
“Due to high investment on land, equipment and daily stocks, there are not many takers for this business” the bunk owners said.
There is only one CNG station in Kundapura taluk out of three in Udupi district. There are more than 5,000 CNG based vehicles in the district.
The sight of hundreds of rickshaws and other vehicles waiting to fill CNG fuel at the CNG bank in Koteshwar every day from 4 am is very common.
Sometimes one has to wait till 8-9 o'clock. However, there is no guarantee that everyone will get fuel. Similar are the conditions in Karkala and Kundapur taluks of Udupi district.
The rickshaw drivers and other CNG users have appealed to the Udupi district authorities and approached the Udupi Chamber of Commerce and Industry to put pressure on the government to normalise supply and to open more bunks.
