50 Bengaluru pilgrims left stranded in Medina as Middle East tensions ground flights

• 50 Bengaluru pilgrims stranded in Medina after flight cancellation
• Group faces financial strain as travel agent withdraws support
• Families in Bengaluru worried, urge government for urgent help

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Around 50 pilgrims from Bengaluru who travelled to Medina in Saudi Arabia are stranded after rising tensions in the Middle East led to widespread flight cancellations. The group, which includes women, toddlers and elderly people, was scheduled to return to India at 2am on March 2. However, their flight was cancelled, leaving them stuck and struggling to manage accommodation and expenses.

The pilgrims had left Bengaluru on February 15 and have been staying at Al Shams Hostel in Medina since Thursday. According to family members, they were informed about the disruption around 7.30 pm local time on Saturday. Since then, many have spent sleepless nights trying to arrange alternative travel and accommodation, The Times of India reported.

The group has to extend their stay, but the sudden delay has created financial pressure. Mohammed Inayath, 32, a content creator from RT Nagar, said he reached out to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through a post on X in the early hours of Sunday, seeking help.

"We're trying to extend our stay for one more day, but with women, children, and heavy luggage, finding accommodation is difficult. Rooms cost about Rs 2,000 per person per day with food, which is too high for many of us. The travel agent withdrew support, and the (Indian) embassy directed us back to the agent. We're trying to contact local leaders, but so far, there has been no response," he was quoted by TOI as saying.

Abdul Mannan, 48, a signboard maker from Gandhinagar, said the trip has already exhausted most of his family’s savings. “This is my first visit to Medina with my family. We spent about Rs 80,000 per person and already used most of our savings. With hotel rooms at around Rs 1,500 per day and food costing 60 Riyals (Rs 1,456), many in the group are struggling. The travel agent left us to manage on our own, and arranging help from India is difficult. If the delay continues, accommodation, food, and medicines will become a serious concern. We urge the govt to help us return home soon," Mannan said.

While the pilgrims at stuck in Medina, their families, back in Bengaluru, are getting worried. Friends and relatives say they are constantly trying to contact those stranded and searching for help through local connections.

A friend of one of the pilgrims said, "I spoke with him yesterday evening; at that time, he said he was safe. Now I am contacting a few locals I know there to help them."

A 24-year-old student from Hulimavu expressed concern for her pregnant sister who is among those stranded. "My sister is pregnant, and our entire family is worried about her… We are unable to do anything to bring them back and can only hope for their safety. She saw two missiles being dropped while she and her husband were on their way to her aunt's place, and she was extremely stressed. I'm scared about her medical condition now,” he was quoted by TOI as saying.

The tensions have also affected Indians living and working in other parts of the Middle East. In Whitefield, Bharath, 27, shared a frightening experience involving his friends in Dubai. "I have around seven friends in Dubai, and we've been close since class 4. One of them texted saying he sent a video showing a missile being dropped near his home, and then he suddenly went offline. For more than 30 minutes, he didn't respond to any of our messages. Finally, he replied saying his network had been disrupted. Another friend got scared and moved to a different house. She freaked out hearing the sounds of the missile."

Ashik PA, who has been working in Dubai for three years and recently travelled to Bengaluru to meet friends, is also unsure about his return. "I came last week and was supposed to return by the end of the week. Now I'm stuck. I just started a new job and don't know what to do. Since it's a new job, I have to go back, but I'm unsure how to manage this situation,” TOI quoted her as saying.