Kozhikode, May 28 -- Keralam native Abdul Rahim, who was released from a Saudi Arabian prison after spending nearly two decades behind bars in a death penalty case, returned to his hometown in Kozhikode on Eid, marking an emotional end to one of the most widely followed humanitarian campaigns in recent years.

Rahim arrived at Karipur International Airport early Thursday morning on an Air India flight from Riyadh. Fighting back tears, he walked out of the airport terminal and thanked everyone who stood by him during the long legal battle and public campaign for his release.

He later reached his ancestral home at Kodampuzha in Ramanattukara, where relatives and locals gathered to welcome him back after nearly 20 years.

Rahim had been jai...