Kerala woman pardons son's killer,says another life will not bring back her son

"Allah has called my son early. That is his fate. (Taking) Another life will not bring back my child," a mother in Kerala told the wife of her son's killer.

Photo only for representational purpose.

MALAPPURAM: "Allah has called my son early. That is his fate. (Taking) Another life will not bring back my child," a mother in Kerala told the wife of her son's killer. Ayesha Beevi tried to console a sobbing Razia, who had fallen at her feet seeking pardon for her husband, Muharam Ali, who is on death row in Al-Hassa for killing 24-year-old Asif. Razia had travelled from Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district to meet Ayesha Beevi and other members of the family her husband had devastated six years ago, seeking their pardon. Ali worked at a petrol station in Al-Hassa and Asif, the victim, was his supervisor. They were friends and shared a room. But one night, Ali killed Asif by slitting his throat in his sleep. Ali was immediately arrested and put behind the bars. Last year, a Saudi Arabia court sentenced Ali to death. The Al-Hassa chapter of Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre, a voluntary organisation, stepped in to get justice for Asif's family. A few years later, Ali started showing signs of mental instability, KMCC former secretary Kunhalassan Kutty told PTI. "The two were working together, staying together and there was no enmity between them," Kutty said, adding that the accused had not escaped after the crime and slept in the room. Seeing his mental state, the Saudi police urged the KMCC to mediate to help Ali, who has two daughters of marriageable age and a young son. Following discussions, Asif's mother and relatives agreed to pardon the accused, Kutty said. "No blood money was demanded. Asif's family does not even have a house. But they were magnanimous enough to pardon Muharam Ali," Kutty said. Yesterday, Razia and her relatives met Asif's mother and other relatives and sought their pardon. The oupouring of emotion left everyone teary-eyed as Razia fell at the feet of the 61-year-old Ayesha Beevi, urhing her to pardon her jailed husband. "In this holy month of Ramzan, I pardon him unconditionally," Ayesha Beevi said and signed the pardon letter in presence of IUML supremo Panakkad Hyder Ali Thangal's son Sadiq Ali. The letter was sent to Dammam this morning and would be submitted in court as soon as possible, Kutty said.