By Irfan Mohammed
Jeddah: The poor man of Hyderabad was surprised when he had received a cheque of US $ 133,000 equivalent to Rs. 93.77 lakh rupees from Saudi Arabian government recently by post. The cheque was issued none other Saudi Arabia Monetary Agency (SAMA), which is central bank of the country.
Shaikh Mujeeb, a street vendor who sells plastic items on roads, is a father of five in Talabkatta area of the old city is sole bread winner. He came for Haj in 2015 along with his mother and was critically injured in crane crash incident in holy mosque of Makkah on September 11, 2015. Injured Mujeeb was admitted into King Abdulaziz Hospital.
Cheque handed over to Mujeeb
Concerned for any enquiry in future for such large sum, he just ran to Haj House in Nampally to meet Masiullah Khan, chairman of TSHC to inform him about the cheque, according to Mujeeb. Later, the cheque which is issued by Saudi government and sent by Indian consulate directly to Mujeeb but it was taken from him and formally handed over to Mujeeb by Deputy Chief Minister Mahmoud Ali and Masiullah.
“I can’t express my joy and pleasure”, Mujeeb told this correspondentover the phone after receiving the cheque. “I have rescued and pushed other pilgrims while crane falling on that fateful day”, he recalled the incident. Present Indian Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh, who was then Haj consul, had visited injured Mujeeb in the hospital.
Hailing gratitude of Saudi Authorities and also Indian diplomats, Mujeeb added that “It was indeed surprise for me to receive such hefty amount which was out of imagination. I thank Saudi King Salman for granting the compensation. Also, Indian Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed and Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Shiekh for their effective coordination”, he added.
Mujeeb also acknowledged that Masiullah Khan has helped him personally from his first salary.
The gravity of injured in the accident was asserted by Saudi Arabia’s ministry of health based on its expert’s inputs after analyzing the medical records of injured.
Compensation granted to other victims too
There were total of 14 injured Indian pilgrims identified by Saudi authorities and injured were granted compensation of each five lakh Saudi Riyals that equivalent to US $ 133,000 or Rs. 93.77 lakh rupees.
Shameem Banu and Khader Bee from Telangana and Mohammed Abdul Khader and his wife Fatima Bee of Machilipatnam of Krishna district were among 13 Indian pilgrims who died in the crash.
The families of deceased pilgrims have received one million Riyals that equivalent to US $ 266,565.00 or Rs. 1.88 crore.
The Saudi government has disbursed the compensation amount families of 13 Indians who died and 14 who were injured, said Indian Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh.
King Salman ordered to pay compensation
Aftermath the crane accident tragedy, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman ordered to pay compensation to the families of those killed and injured in the accident, which claimed the lives of 111 people and injured over 238.
The king announced through a royal decree that there would be SR1 million paid to each victim’s family, SR1 million to those whose injuries resulted in permanent disability, and SR500,000 for each of the injured.