Jobs and free Umrah turn into nightmare; eight indians face death penalty in Saudi Arabia over packages they were tricked into carrying

THRISSUR: Eight Indians, including a Malayali, are facing the possibility of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia after allegedly being tricked into carrying drugs with promises of jobs and Umrah pilgrimages.

The eight men lodged in a prison in Jeddah are Umar Shareef, a native of Kochannur in Kunnamkulam, Thrissur district, and seven natives of West Bengal: S.K. Kamal, Kafizul Sheikh, Abraham Sheikh, Saudhin Sheikh, Nasimuddin Abdul Bari, Ajigul Gazi and Jahiruddin Sheikh. They were allegedly given cartons containing narcotic substances after being told that the packages contained sweets, food items and medicines intended for Palestinian and Sudanese children. The men had been promised jobs on visit visas and free Umrah pilgrimages.

Ashik, a native of Kochannur in Thrissur district and a friend of Umar Shareef, and Ali, a native of Malappuram, allegedly deceived the men by promising that they could return home after three months and that permanent visas would subsequently be arranged.

The eight men arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah via Coimbatore on August 10 this year, where authorities seized prohibited pregabalin medication from them. The case is being heard by the Fourth Joint Judicial Court in Jeddah. The hearing was adjourned because a Bengali interpreter was unavailable. The public prosecution is seeking the death penalty for the accused under Saudi Arabia's anti-narcotics law.

The prosecution has also sought fines amounting to hundreds of thousands of riyals for each accused. Umar Shareef has already been fined 299,799.78 riyals, while Abraham Sheikh has been fined 314,370 riyals. Fines have also been imposed on the other accused.

Hajara says her husband is innocent

Hajara, the wife of Umar Shareef, has submitted complaints to the Chief Minister, the Director General of Police and the Kunnamkulam police, asserting that her husband is innocent and demanding that the actual perpetrators be brought to justice. She has also lodged a complaint with the Indian Consulate in Saudi Arabia through E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP, urging urgent intervention to save her husband from the threat of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.