Indian Embassy seeks info on Prayagraj man in Saudi Arabia after viral video shows him pleading for help. Photo: X.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has responded to a viral video showing a man claiming to be from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, alleging that he is being held against his will in the Gulf nation. The embassy issued a statement on X saying that they are trying to locate the person.
“Embassy has been trying to locate the person. No further action can be taken as the video does not contain any details about the location/province in Saudi Arabia, or contact number or employer details,” the statement posted on X said.
The mission also appealed to Delhi-based lawyer Kalpana Shrivastav, who initially shared the video online, to provide more information. “@Lawyer_Kalpana please seek details from the source of the video you have posted,” the embassy urged.
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have also been contacted. The embassy stated, “As the person says that he is from Prayagraj district, @DM_PRAYAGRAJ @Sp_prayag @prayagraj_pol may also reach out to his family and advise them to write to us at cw.riyadh@mea.gov.in.”
The video, which has circulated widely on social media, shows a man speaking in Bhojpuri with a camel in the background. He claims he is being held in Saudi Arabia against his will. Within 24 hours, the clip garnered over 140,000 views.
In the video, the man says, “My village is in Allahabad… I came to Saudi Arabia. Kapil has my passport. I told him I need to go home, but he is threatening to kill me.”
Visibly distressed, he appeals for help, “Brother, share this video, share it so much that, with your support from India, I can get help and come back to India. If you are Muslim, Hindu or anyone – brother, wherever you are – please help. Please help me, I will die; I need to go to my mother. Share this video as much as possible. Look, there is nobody here nearby, nobody is here — look brother, I will die. Share this video so much that it should reach up to the Prime Minister.”
Advocate Kalpana Shrivastav, who identified herself as a criminal lawyer in Delhi tagging External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, wrote, “Honorable Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar ji, please take immediate cognizance, a resident of Prayagraj Handia Pratappur is stuck in Saudi Arabia.”
Shrivastav also urged the public to circulate the video widely, noting that increased visibility could help authorities trace and assist the man.
Also Read: Who Is Saudi Arabia’s New Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan? Career, Mentors, Family & More
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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