Becks Krishnan who was sentenced to death by Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Court is back home in Kerala. The 45-year old salesman would have never seen his family—wife and a 12-year old son—had the Gulf-based businessman Yousuff Ali not offered a compensation of Rs 1 crore to save him from certain death.
Krishnan flew to Kochi’s Nedumbassery Airport on Wednesday (May 9) from Abu Dhabi to a tearful yet rousing welcome by his wife Veena, son Advaid, host of relatives and a large crowd of media persons. The man on the death row was saved through intervention by business tycoon Yousuff Ali, the Chairman of the LuLu Group International who paid reparation of Rs 1 crore to the family of the Sudanese boy who was accidentally killed while he drove a car in Abu Dhabi on the evening of November 13, 2012.
Speaking to this scribe from his native Irinjalakuda town, 38 km from Trichur, Krishnan said he was primarily thankful to God who is the real Saviour and then to Yousuff Ali who paid the compensation amount that he would not ever imagine of earning in a lifetime. He said Ali has promised to provide him a job in an establishment he owns in Kerala.
Krishnan had been working in Abu Dhabi since 2002. He had earned a Diploma in Automobile Engineering and had worked for a brief period in a Telco firm in his State before taking up a salesman’s job in Abu Dhabi.
Following the accident, Krishnan had driven the car straight to the police station and reported it to the police. The First court had sentenced him for 15-year jail. Even the Appeals Court confirmed the same sentence. But surprisingly, the Supreme Court passed a death sentence which should not have been the case in an accidental death. He was on the death row when Ali offered to pay the compensation amount of two lakh Dirham to save and set him free.
Krishnan spent eight years and six months in Abu Dhabi jail where he said he shared a room with seven other inmates. He was provided three times food and all facilities for health and hygiene. Most inmates in the jail were from Pakistan and Bangladesh. He would often visit the mosque within the jail premises, clean the floor out of his own volition and privately prayed to God in his own way although the mosque was meant for Islamic prayers. He said he was now convinced that God is one and the same for all the people, regardless of religion and He is abundantly merciful towards all those who pray to Him sincerely.
Krishnan says his brother who also works in Abu Dhabi, used to visit him every Friday during the designated visiting hours. Even his wife and mother once flew to Abdu Dhabi to visit him during the period. He said the jail staff was courteous and dignified and there was no ill-treatment towards prisoners.
He said he had no words to thank Yousuff Ali who has been helping hundreds of people both in Kerala and the UAE by way of employment as well as relief during times of distress. Expressing great relief, he thanks all those who prayed for his release.
M A Siraj is Bengaluru based seasoned journalist who writes for a variety of newspapers including The Hindu, and news portals.