Now Reading: Uttarakhand man held hostage-like in Saudi; CM seeks safe return
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Uttarakhand man held hostage-like in Saudi; CM seeks safe return
Uttarakhand man held hostage-like in Saudi; CM seeks safe return
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging the Centre to secure the safe return of Indramani Nautiyal, a resident of Tehri Garhwal who is…
The Story in Brief
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging the Centre to secure the safe return of Indramani Nautiyal, a resident of Tehri Garhwal who is being held in a hostage-like situation in Saudi Arabia. Dhami has asked for immediate legal and financial assistance for Nautiyal.
Nautiyal travelled to Saudi Arabia in 2018 for work as a truck driver. After a serious road accident, he was sentenced to one year in prison. The company owner was fined 9 lakh Saudi Riyals (about Rs 2.29 crore) for insurance and registration lapses but has not paid. Nautiyal is reportedly pressured to pay the amount. His family faces severe hardship.
The Indian Opinion
This case risks fuelling a simplistic narrative of India being powerless in protecting its workers abroad. While the Saudi system has clear judicial processes, the real failure is the company owner evading a court-ordered fine for years. The Central and state governments must now ensure the fine is paid by the employer, not the victim. The test will be whether diplomatic channels can secure Nautiyal's release without the family bearing the financial burden.
Sources (2): ndtv.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
