14 Indian nationals stranded in Saudi

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Shimla, Dec. 1: Fourteen people are stranded in Saudi Arabia with most of them, including residents of Himachal Pradesh, in the Middle East nation’s jails after two local travel agents allegedly sent them to work there on tourist visas, the police said Saturday.

Of the 14 people, 12 belong to Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district and two are from Punjab. Twelve are lodged in jails in Saudi Arabia.

They are stranded as their tourist visas have expired and they do not have work visas, they said.

Police said the agents, who had promised them of getting the work visas and allegedly cheated them of ` 90,000 each, have been booked.

Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has raised the issue with Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. He has urged her to bring back the 14 people stranded in Saudi Arabia. They are stranded due to some visa problems, an official spokesperson said.

Mr Thakur had called up the Union minister

Of the 14 people, 12 belong to Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district and two are from Punjab ◗ They are stranded as their tourist visas have expired and they do not have work visas, sources said

and asked her to personally take up the matter with Saudi Arabia authorities for their release.

He said they had gone there to earn their livelihood, the spokesperson said.

The chief minister has also written a letter to Ms Swaraj in this regard.

Mohammad Asif and Qadir were booked under Section 420 ( cheating) of the Indian Penal Code ( IPC) by the Sundernagar police, Superintendent of Police, Mandi, Gurdev Sharma, said.

Sharma told PTI that “as per available information, 12 of the 14 people are currently lodged in Saudi Arabia jails whereas two are working in a company”.