The Indian national died in Riyadh on Wednesday, the first Indian fatality reported in Saudi Arabia. Two Indians were killed in an attack on an industrial area in Oman on February 13, and three seafarers died in attacks on merchant vessels in the days of the conflict, while one more citizen was reported missing.
“Late [on Thursday] night, we received information regarding the tragic demise of an Indian national during an attack in Riyadh on March 18. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” Aseem Mahajan, secretary (Gulf) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing.
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The Indian embassy in Riyadh is in touch with his family and is coordinating with local authorities for the early return of the body, Mahajan said. Further details were not available and people familiar with the matter said the Indian was killed during Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Riyadh.
he Indian government has focused on the safety and security of 10 million Indian nationals living in West Asian countries during its outreach to the leadership of these states in recent days.
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Mahajan said 15 Indian crew members of the US-owned oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, which was recently attacked near Basra, Iraq, were set to return to the country via Saudi Arabia. An Indian seafarer of the same vessel was killed, and Mahajan said steps are being taken to transport his body to the country. A total of 300,000 people have returned to India from West Asia since the start of the conflict on February 28.
