India confirms death of Indian national in Riyadh amid West Asia conflict

Riyadh: India on Friday confirmed the death of an Indian national on March 18 in Riyadh due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia stated that it remains in touch with the family and local authorities and assured all possible assistance.

“The Embassy of India expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of an Indian national in Riyadh due to recent events on March 18th. The Embassy is in touch with the family and local authorities. We remain committed to extending all possible assistance in this matter,” Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia posted on X.

The Indian national’s death has been confirmed amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia which erupted on February 28 after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials.

On March 15, the Indian Embassy urged Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines and advisories issued by the local authorities and the embassy. It mentioned that Embassy of India in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah and its outsourced services through Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) continue to function normally.

In a statement on X, Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia stated, “In view of the prevailing situation in the region and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all Indian Nationals currently in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are advised to continue to remain vigilant, strictly adhere to the safety guidelines prevalent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and follow advisories issued by the local authorities and the Embassy. In particular, Indian nationals should refrain from circulating or reposting any videos or news related to ongoing events.”

“The Embassy of India, Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah and its outsourced services through VFS, are continuing to function normally and will issue updates and advisories as and when necessary. Consular Camps are being undertaken on a regular basis,” it added.

According to the statement, Indian and Saudi air carriers continue operating regular schedules to Indian destinations from Jeddah and Madinah. While Saudi carriers continue to operate from Riyadh and Dammam to Indian destinations, Indian carriers have resumed operations from Riyadh, according to the statement.

The embassy stated that Indian nationals who want to travel to India may avail any of these flights after checking availability. It also issued 24×7 helpline numbers for Indian nationals to contact embassy in case of emergency.

IANS