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Saudi King pays blood money for release of Indian driver

He was released from Al-Uyoon prison on Friday

Dubai: An Indian driver involved in a car accident nearly two years ago has been freed after Saudi King Abdullah paid SR 185,701 (Rs.22,87,839.8) as blood money to the members of a Saudi family to secure his release.

Shaukat Abdul Samad, hailing from Kollam, was released from Al-Uyoon prison in Hofuf on Friday night. He was one of the beneficiaries of the amnesty declared by King Abdullah.

After his release, Samad said the accident had occurred in October 2004 when the car he was driving rammed a SAPTCO (Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company) bus while he was making a U-turn. Three people — the head of a Saudi family, his wife and daughter — died while Abdul Samad survived.

The police arrested Samad and imprisoned him in connection with the incident. He was also held liable for the payment of blood money to the next of kin.

``This was a tragic end to my dream of earning a good living in the Gulf. The accident brutally shattered my life and left me to ponder my future behind bars,'' he said.

Samad's employer tried to help him by negotiating with the victims' family to reach an out-of-court settlement. ``At that time, my sponsor was told that the family would not insist on full payment of the blood money and would try to be reasonable, considering my circumstances as an Indian driver,'' he told the Arab News.

The turning point came when his family submitted a petition for mercy to King Abdullah, who visited New Delhi on January 26, through Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed. The King then promised to secure his release.

In the petition, Samad's wife explained the situation at home, pointing out in particular their acute state of financial and mental distress.

As a result of the petition, King Abdullah paid the blood money to the relatives of the deceased and ordered his release. Samad expressed his gratitude to the King and said he and his family would never forget the royal gesture that had given them a new life.

In April, another worker Abdul Lateef Naushad from the same town was released from a Dammam jail following a royal pardon announced ahead of the King's visit to India. — PTI

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