No Indian killed in Saudi Arabia projectile strike, says Indian Embassy

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh on Monday confirmed that no Indian national was killed in the projectile strike that hit a residential compound in Saudi Arabiarsquos Al Kharj area offering relief to the Indian community in the Gulf region amid rising tensions in West Asia reported news agency PTIIn an official statement posted on social media the embassy said one Indian national who was injured in the incident is currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital and is reported to be receiving medical careEmbassy confirms no Indian death in Al Kharj incidentAccording to the Indian diplomatic mission in Riyadh the projectile struck a residential compound on Sunday evening in Al Kharj located near the Saudi capital RiyadhldquoIt is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday eveningrdquo the embassy said in its statement reported PTIThe embassy added that it is in constant contact with the concerned Saudi authorities to monitor the situation and ensure support for the injured individualOfficials confirmed that Counsellor Community Welfare Y Sabir visited Al Kharj on Sunday night and personally met the injured Indian nationalldquoHe is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Al Kharjrdquo the embassy said adding that the mission is closely following the case and providing necessary assistance reported PTISaudi authorities clarify identity of victimsInitial reports from Saudi authorities had indicated that an Indian national was among two people killed in the projectile strike at the residential compound belonging to a maintenance and cleaning companyHowever authorities later clarified that the two fatalities were Bangladeshi nationalsIn a social media update the Saudi Civil Defence stated that after completing the final verification procedures the casualties were confirmed to include two Bangladeshi nationalsAccording to the statement 11 Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian national were injured in the incidentThe identity of the injured Indian citizen has not been disclosedIncident linked to escalating West Asia conflictThe projectile strike comes amid rising regional tensions following the ongoing conflict in West AsiaThe crisis escalated after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran on February 28 as part of efforts to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programmeThe strikes reportedly killed Iranrsquos Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered retaliatory actions from Iran which have since expanded the conflict across the Gulf regionThe growing hostilities have raised concerns about the safety of expatriate communities including a large number of Indian nationals living and working in Gulf countriesEmbassy monitoring situation amid regional tensionsIndian diplomatic missions across the region have been closely monitoring developments and maintaining communication with local authorities to ensure the safety of Indian citizensThe embassy in Riyadh said it remains in touch with Saudi authorities regarding the Al Kharj incident and will continue to provide assistance to the injured Indian nationalThe situation has heightened concerns about the safety of foreign workers in the Gulf where millions of expatriates including a significant Indian community reside and work across sectors such as construction services and maintenanceWith inputs from PTI