Dubai: An Indian man, who was jailed for
killing six people in a road accident in Saudi Arabia, has
been released after the family of the victims agreed to a
blood-money deal.
Sulieman Abubakr, 55, from Karnataka was driving on
the highway to Saudi capital of Riyadh in April 2008 when his
truck collided with a vehicle, killing six members of a Saudi
family.
The accident occurred about 200 km from Taif after
which Abubakr was arrested.
Abubakr was freed from Taif Central Jail on Monday
after his company's insurer paid the blood-money, the Arab
News report said.
"After a hearing in the case, a Taif court ruled that
USD 179,992 (675,000 Saudi riyals) be paid in blood money to
the family members of the accident victims," said E M Abdulla,
general coordinator of the India Fraternity Forum.
"The family members of the accident victims never
asked for execution. They had asked for the blood money, but
the insurance company was reluctant at first," Abdulla told
the newspaper.
Abubakr had only been on the job for three months
when the accident took place.
Members of the India Fraternity Forum from Taif,
Riyadh and Jeddah negotiated with the family of the dead, the
insurance company and the authorities to reach a settlement.
"Abubakr's family in India is very poor and needed
financial and moral support, which forum members provided,"
Abdulla was quoted as saying.
India Fraternity Forum members as well as the welfare
section of the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, were
instrumental in negotiating a settlement in the tragic case.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, April 28, 2011, 12:51