Thalassery/Dammam: Saudi Arabia has executed a 41-year-old Kerala man in a drug trafficking case, with the sentence carried out at a prison in Dammam on Sunday.

Abootty Vellili, a native of Peringadi near Thalassery, was executed after being convicted of smuggling narcotic substances into Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Interior Ministry said.

The case dates back to 2023, when 43 kg of narcotic substances was seized from a vehicle while Abootty was travelling to Saudi Arabia by road from Oman.

A trial court sentenced him to death based on the evidence presented by the prosecution. The verdict was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, following which a royal order was issued for the execution.

During the trial, Abootty maintained that another person had handed him the goods after telling him that they were merely a parcel. He claimed that he was unaware that the package contained narcotics.

His challenges against the verdict before the higher courts were subsequently rejected. The execution was carried out at the Dammam prison premises on Sunday, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.

According to Aslam, a person familiar with the family’s situation, Abootty’s family could not afford adequate legal assistance in Saudi Arabia. The family is also unable to bear the expenses involved in bringing his body back to Kerala.

Abootty is survived by his wife, two children studying in kindergarten and a sister. His other three sisters are married. His father had died several years ago.

Sources said Abootty had travelled to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa. He could not legally obtain a driving licence in the country without a job visa, they said.

The circumstances surrounding the case, including Abootty’s claim that he was unaware of the contents of the parcel, remain a matter of concern for the family, sources said.