Malayali on death row freed thanks to Lulu chairman

Our Correspondent

Becks Krishnan, an Indian expatriate, who was on death row in the UAE for causing the death of a young Sudani boy in a road accident, has been freed following the intervention of NRI businessman and chairman of Lulu Group M.A. Yusuff Ali.

The expatriate, who was earlier working in a private company in Abu Dhabi, has now got a second lease of life thanks to the efforts of Yusuff Ali. He had lost all hopes of escaping capital punishment.

Krishnan’s car had rammed into a group of kids playing football on the road in Musaffah in September 2012. He was sentenced to death by the UAE Supreme Court after he was found guilty.

Ever since, his family and friends were trying to secure his release but to no avail. Meanwhile, the victim’s family had gone back and settled in Sudan, closing any chances of compromise or pardon.

Krishnan’s family approached Yusuff Ali who then went out of his way to settle the case. At one point, Yusuff Ali flew down the victim’s family from Sudan to Abu Dhabi for a month and held extensive discussions to arrive at a compensation amount and secure pardon for Krishnan.

Finally, in January this year, the victim’s family agreed to pardon Krishnan, and Yusuff Ali paid Dh500,000 (Rs.1 crore) as compensation or blood money in the court to secure his early release.

Krishnan, languishing in Al Watba prison in Abu Dhabi, could not control his tears when Indian Embassy officials came to secure his release. After he gets an out pass to leave prison, Krishnan can fly home to his native place in Thrissur. He hopes he can meet his saviour Yusuff Ali at least once to express his gratitude for giving him a second life.