A CORRESPONDENT
NAZIRA: Several pilgrims from Assam, including men and women who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, have reportedly been stranded there following the suspension of flight services amid security concerns in the Middle East. A family from Nazira is also among those affected, causing anxiety among their relatives back home.
According to information received, a large number of pilgrims from different parts of Assam, including Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, had travelled to Saudi Arabia for a 15-day Umrah pilgrimage. After completing all the religious rituals, they were scheduled to return to India by air on the night of October 15.
However, amid reports of security concerns in the Middle East and an attack at an airport in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital, flight disruptions have reportedly left the pilgrims stranded. Several passengers from the Nazira Assembly constituency are also said to be among those facing difficulties.
Maulana Mufti Faruk, a pilgrim from Sivasagar who is also associated with the travel agency, said that the group had completed its 15-day pilgrimage and was scheduled to travel from Madinah to Hyderabad at around 2 am, followed by a connecting flight to Guwahati, operated by IndiGo.
He said that the airline had informed them three days earlier that flight services would remain suspended until October 24. A subsequent notification reiterating the suspension until October 24 left the pilgrims in a difficult situation.
The situation has become particularly distressing because the 15-day Umrah package has already expired, and the validity of the hotel accommodation included in the package has also come to an end. As a result, some pilgrims are reportedly struggling to arrange accommodation and meet additional expenses in Saudi Arabia.
According to some pilgrims from Nazira, financial constraints have made it difficult for them to afford expensive hotels, forcing some to spend time outdoors while waiting for further arrangements. They have conveyed their difficulties to their families over the phone.
The stranded pilgrims and their families are now hoping for urgent assistance and suitable arrangements to ensure their safe and early return to Assam.