‘Baseless’: Saudi police dismiss UP man’s viral claim of being held hostage; Indian embassy launches probe

In the video, the man, speaking in Bhojpuri with a camel visible in the background, can be seen pleading for help

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation after a video showing a man from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj claiming he is being held against his will in the Gulf nation went viral on social media.

In the video, the man, speaking in Bhojpuri with a camel visible in the background, can be seen pleading for help, 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.” Appealing to viewers, he adds, “Share this video so much that it reaches the Prime Minister. Please help me return to my mother.”

माननीय विदेश मंत्री @DrSJaishankar जी तत्काल संज्ञान मे ले, प्रयागराज हंडिया प्रतापपुर का रहने वाला फंसा सऊदी अरब मे...

पार्ट 1 सभी भाई बहन इस वीडियो को शेयर करें ताकि इसकी सहायता हो पाए 🙏 pic.twitter.com/5op97otITq — कल्पना श्रीवास्तव 🇮🇳 (@Lawyer_Kalpana) October 23, 2025

The clip was first shared on microblogging site X by Delhi-based lawyer Kalpana Shrivastav, who tagged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and urged immediate intervention.

The video has received more than 1.4 lakh views within a day.

Responding to the post, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said it was attempting to identify and locate the man but noted that the video did not contain sufficient information.

“No further action can be taken as the video does not include details about the location/province in Saudi Arabia, or contact number or employer details,” the mission said on X.

The embassy requested Shrivastav to gather additional details from the original source and also reached out to officials in Prayagraj, asking them to contact the man’s family.

“As the person says he is from Prayagraj district, @DM_PRAYAGRAJ @Sp_prayag @prayagraj_pol may reach out to his family and advise them to write to us at cw.riyadh@mea.gov.in,” the statement read.

The Saudi Public Security has, however, dismissed the allegations, saying the video was misleading.

In a statement on X, the Eastern Region Police said, “The claim by an expatriate in a video expressing a desire to return to their home country is baseless. It was documented and published with the intent of increasing viewership on their social media account.”

شرطة المنطقة الشرقية توضح: ادعاء وافد في محتوى مرئي برغبته في العودة إلى بلده لا صحة له، وتم توثيقه ونشره لغرض زيادة عدد المشاهدات في حسابه بأحد مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي. pic.twitter.com/CkmjF6d1SK — الأمن العام (@security_gov) October 24, 2025

Authorities in India and Saudi Arabia have yet to confirm the man’s identity or whereabouts.

The Indian Embassy has urged anyone with verified information, including his family in Prayagraj, to contact them directly.