$159,000 ex-gratia for family of Indian killed in Bahrain

The family of an Indian man, who died mysteriously during the pro-democracy protests in Bahrain two years ago, has received 60,000 Bahraini dinars (about $159,000) as compensation.

Stephen Abraham, working as a security officer in the Almoayyed Group, was sitting in the canteen of Awal Dairy on Budaiya highway in the Gulf nation in March 2011 when he was shot in the chest. He was 40.

Abraham's wife Annie Abraham and her brother K.A. Thomas have arrived in the country from Kochi city of Kerala to meet officials of the Almoayyed Group, a major business conglomerate, Indian ambassador to Bahrain Mohan Kumar, and local church and community leaders, the Gulf Daily News reported Thursday.

Both of them praised the efforts of the Almoayyed Group in securing the payment and said it would help the future of the Abrahams' two children, Stenny, 17, and Steffin, 10.

"We had nowhere to go, no one to turn to and no one to help us," Thomas was quoted as saying. "Company officials were a blessing. They worked very hard and they made sure we got compensation. We are very happy and thank the Lord."