Taif: Suleiman Nelyadi, who had been in a Saudi prison for the nearly three years in connection with an accident case, was yesterday released after the blood money of SAR 675,000 (Saudi Riyals) was paid. The money was paid to the family of six Arabs killed in the accident that took place in 2008.
Suleiman (53), hailing from Mangalore in Karnataka, was working as a truck driver in Taif. The accident reportedly took place when the truck was stationed on the road at Zulum, 200 kms from Taif on the road to Riyadh. The car in which the Arabs were travelling reportedly rammed into the truck leading to the death of six persons in the car. Suleiman who was behind the wheels at the time was jailed for seven months in Kuruma jail and later transferred to Taif Central Jail.
Suleiman Nelyadi (second from left)
The Taif Court, after hearing the case, ordered Suleiman to pay a compensation of SAR 675,000 as blood money to the heirs of the victims, and to endure prison term till the payment. Suleiman being very poor could not pay the huge sum. His sponsor also reportedly refused to help or even meet him in the three years he was in jail. Then the Taif chapter of the Indian Fraternity Forum got ready to help him. The IFF Taif worked in coordination with other chapters of the Forum in the country and the welfare section of the Consulate General of India in Jeddah. The organisation also reportedly extended financial help and support to the family of Suleiman back in India, all the while knocking every possible door to help him out of the misfortune.
The Forum could convince the insurance company to pay the compensation amount of SAR 675,000. The company issued a cheque for the amount which was submitted at the Court. Suleiman was released last day after all the formalities were completed, according to reports.
Rafeeq Kulai of IFF Taif said, “Since the beginning, we the IFF have stood behind this case, helped his family in India giving them the necessary for daily needs. For blood money, we coordinated among the insurance company of the unfortunate truck, the truck owner and the family of the Saudi nationals who were killed in the accident.” Members of the IFF in Taif, Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah including Rafeeque Kulayi, Noushad Katippala, Hussain Jokkatte, Althaf Bajpe and Sulaiman Mnajeshwar were actively involved the successful negotiation and pursuing with the insurance company, family members of the accident victims and the government authorities for the release of Suleiman.
Family of Suleiman Nelyadi
Suleiman hails from Nelyadi village in Puttur Taluk of Dakshin Kannada district of Karnataka. He is the sole bread-winner of his family of seven – his mother, wife, three daughters and two sons. He had worked as truck driver for 25 years in India before leaving for Saudi in January 2008, in hopes of a better future.
The IFF has reportedly taken up and successfully cleared more than a thousand such cases related to human rights in Saudi Arabia in which Indian expatriates were involved.
