Hyderabad, July 13 -- A Kerala man travelled to Telangana to repay a loan he had borrowed from a former colleague more than three decades ago, fulfilling a promise made during their years working in Saudi Arabia.

According to multiple media reports, Mohammed Ismail, a native of Palakkad, traced his former colleague, Edla Lachanna, in Dharmapuri town of Jagtial district after years without any contact. Remembering only the name of Lachanna's hometown, he eventually located his family and handed over Rs 25,000.

The two became friends in 1991 while working in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, where they shared accommodation with three other expatriate workers for nearly five years.

During that time, Lachanna lent Ismail 120 Saudi Riyals, worth about ...