‘I will die…': UP man’s cry for help from Saudi Arabia; Indian embassy reacts to viral clip
The man can be heard saying, “My village is in Allahabad… I came to Saudi Arabia. Kapil has my passport.”
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has reacted to a viral video showing a man claiming to be from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj and alleging that he is being held against his will in the Gulf nation.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the embassy said, “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 mission further appealed to Delhi-based lawyer Kalpana Shrivastav, who shared the video online, to help provide more information. “@Lawyer_Kalpana please seek details from the source of the video you have posted,” it said.
The Indian embassy also reached out to authorities in Uttar Pradesh, adding, “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,” it added.
Man's cry for help from a desert
The video, which surfaced on social media, shows a man speaking in Bhojpuri with a camel in the background, claiming he is held against his will in Saudi Arabia. The clip has drawn wide attention online, garnering over 140,000 views within 24 hours.
The man can be heard saying, “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 continues, “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 from 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,” the man urges.
The video was shared by advocate Kalpana Shrivastav, who identified herself as a criminal lawyer in Delhi. Tagging external affairs minister S Jaishankar, she wrote, “Honorable Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar ji, please take immediate cognizance, a resident of Prayagraj Handia Pratappur is stuck in Saudi Arabia.”
Shrivastav also appealed to the public to amplify the video, writing that wider circulation could help authorities trace and assist the man.
As of now, Indian officials have not confirmed the man’s identity or whereabouts. The embassy has urged anyone with credible information — including the man’s family in Prayagraj — to contact them directly.
