Abdul Rahim is living every parent’s worst nightmare. His mother, younger son, elder brother, and sister-in-law were all brutally murdered—by his elder son. Meanwhile, his wife is battling for her life in the hospital.

Yet, Rahim finds himself unable to even catch a final glimpse of his beloved family. With no friends or relatives nearby to lean on, he is left to grieve alone. Trapped in a legal quagmire, he remains stuck in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, unable to return home.

Rahim firmly dismisses Afan’s claim that the murders were driven by his relatives’ refusal to help settle his father’s debts. Speaking from Dammam, he shared his anguish with Manorama.

Do you have significant financial obligations?
Running a business in the Gulf, I have incurred a loss of Rs 15 lakh. That’s the amount I need to repay, both here and back home. I’ve been struggling to manage it, but my family never had any responsibility for this debt. Occasionally, I had arguments with my wife about it over the phone, but nothing beyond that.

Did you seek Afan’s help in settling your debts?
There was no need for him to take responsibility for my obligations. I was planning to sell our house and property to cover the debt, and Afan had agreed to it. I later learned that he had borrowed money from his girlfriend, claiming it was to repay the home loan. I sent half of the amount, and my wife and Afan informed me that he had settled the rest. I never paid much attention to his relationship with her.

When did you learn about the tragic deaths in your family?
On Monday evening, my sister called to inform me about my mother’s passing. At that point, there was no mention of murder. Later, a friend in the Gulf called to say that my wife and son had met with an accident. It was only after reaching out to my relatives back home that I learned the full extent of the tragedy.

What do you think drove Afan to commit these murders?
I have no idea. No one had a bad impression of him. He had no known mental health issues or excessive anger. He was always quiet and reserved. Now, I’m hearing from people back home that he had taken drugs. But to my knowledge, he never did. Something must have happened to him, but I don’t know what.

When can you return home?
The last time I visited home was seven years ago. My visa hasn’t been renewed for three years due to my financial troubles, and I have disagreements with my sponsor because of it. My priority is clearing my debts. Many organisations have offered help, and I’m trying to find a way back. But right now, I’m in a truly helpless situation.