Malayali expats tied up, brutally assaulted by robbery gang including Pakistani nationals

RIYADH: Malayali expatriates were attacked and robbed of nearly 10 lakh Saudi riyals (more than Rs 2 crore) at Naseem in Riyadh. The incident occurred after the expatriates, who were sleeping, were tied up and brutally beaten. Some of the injured have returned to Kerala.

The victims, all employees of a wholesale cigarette trading company, have been identified as Ismail from Pattambi, Musthafa from Changaramkulam, and Kannur natives Aslam, Aneesh, Shibil, Abdul Wahab, Mustafa Blathoor, Shamseer and Haris.

The incident happened Saturday early morning at around 2:30 am. A 15-member gang comprising Pakistani and Arab nationals barged into the apartment where the traders were staying, and then attacked the occupants’ using knives and iron rods.

The assailants then stole cigarettes worth around 600,000 riyals and 300,000 riyals in cash from vehicles parked in front of the apartment. The gang also stole 40,000 riyals in cash, a laptop and a mobile phone belonging to Shihab of Kannur, who was staying in the same apartment.

The gang also drove away a Toyota HiAce and a Corolla that were parked in front of the apartment. However, the police later located the vehicles with the help of their GPS systems. Those injured in the assault were admitted to hospital. Shamseer and Haris, who suffered serious injuries, have returned to Kerala. It is reported that some have been taken into custody in the incident.