Amjad Ali Bhat DEHRADUN: A 29-year-old man from J&K’s Baramulla district was allegedly detained by “authorities in Saudi Arabia” after he was picked up on March 25 from a health facility in Dammam, where he used to work as a ‘nurse specialist’, over a “social media post on Iran’s late supreme leader”. Incidentally, days later, Amjad Ali Bhat’s family back home in Kashmir is still struggling to know his whereabouts and has contacted embassies and govt authorities.“We only came to know about his detention when we called his contact number on March 25. It was attended by his colleague and roommate from Tamil Nadu who told us that Amjad was on his day shift at the workplace when he was picked up by ‘local authorities’,” Amjad’s elder sister, Shahida, told TOI on Tuesday.Amjad had gone to Saudi last June to join a company in Dammam. His father, Ghulam Ali, said: “Amjad’s colleague claimed that the ‘authorities’ didn’t cite any reason behind his detention nor informed him about the charges. They didn’t share the whereabouts of the detention centre or police station. We have absolutely no information about him now and are worried amid the West Asia crisis.”Ali said that “after checking his social media, we suspect that he was detained due to a post uploaded by him on his Facebook account on late Khamenei on March 3”. TOI has received a screenshot of the post.”Our family had written to the embassy of India in Riyadh and the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Delhi,” Shahida said. The Indian embassy has replied stating that they have taken up their matter with Saudi authorities, she added. Response from the Saudi embassy in India is awaited.The family also submitted an application at the local police station and sought help from the J&K govt.Meanwhile, the embassy of India in Riyadh, in its reply on April 2, stated: “The matter has been taken up with the Saudi authorities concerned. The embassy is following it up. Will keep you informed of the developments.”Amid the family’s desperate efforts, the J&K Students’ Association (JKSA) has written to the ministry of external affairs on Monday. JKSA’s national convenor Nasir Khuehami said, “The JKSA has written to minister S Jaishankar seeking urgent intervention, and raised concerns over his safety, legal status and prolonged inaccessibility…”Amjad, who is the fourth among eight siblings, including three elder sisters, is the family’s sole breadwinner. Their father is a pensioner after retiring from the handicrafts dept under Union ministry of textiles.About the AuthorKalyan DasSpecial Correspondent at The Times of India, Dehradun, covering global issues with special focus on South Asia, defence, crime, sports and human interest stories. Have profound love for knowing about food and cultures around the world.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndian Army Releases UAV And Loitering Munition Roadmap, Focus On Drone-Centric WarfareDelhi-Dhaka Ties Reset As Bangladesh FM Arrives In India; Focus On Border, Visa, Energy & TradeManipur Erupts Again After Deadly Blast Kills 2 Children; Curfew Imposed, Internet Shutdown’Avoid Military Areas, Stay Indoors’: India Issues Advisory For Indians In Iran As Tensions RiseManipur Erupts Again: Curfew, Internet Shutdown As Violence Returns Over Killing Of Two ChildrenTejas Back In Air After Setbacks, But Reliability And Delays Raise Fresh Questions’Target Of Akhand Bharat’: Pakistan Senator Sounds Alarm Over Growing India-UAE Ties’At The Behest Of Mamata’: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s Shocking Claim On Pakistan’s Kolkata ThreatIndia Seeks US Waiver On Chabahar Amid Conflict; Iran Envoy Hints At Key Port Revival After WarBJP Calls Kharge’s ‘Snake’ Remark Dangerous, Alleges Communal Provocation123PhotostoriesUric acid vs creatinine: What these kidney markers really reveal about your health7 high-protein vegetarian foods other than paneer10 couple-inspired house name ideas that add a personal touch6 quick blooming flowers to sow in AprilHow to make protein-rich Egg Poha for breakfast at home8 animals that shed their skin in the most surprising waysYou have heard of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol: But what if that’s not the full story and you’re reading it wrong?5 cheapest Indian states to buy gold in 202610 short baby girl names inspired by beautiful flowersFrom Divyanka Tripathi to Karishma Tanna confirming their pregnancies to Surbhi Jyoti flaunting her baby bump; TV actresses who are all set to embrace motherhood123Hot PicksShreyas Iyer SisterUpdated IPL Points TablePurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce RelationshipIPL 2026Donald TrumpB V NagarathnaUS stocks todayIran AdvisoryCarlos AlcarazIPL Points TableSchool Holidays in AprilKarnataka 2nd PUC Exam Result Date
DEHRADUN: A 29-year-old man from J&K’s Baramulla district was allegedly detained by “authorities in Saudi Arabia” after he was picked up on March 25 from a health facility in Dammam, where he used to work as a ‘nurse specialist’, over a “social media post on Iran’s late supreme leader”. Incidentally, days later, Amjad Ali Bhat’s family back home in Kashmir is still struggling to know his whereabouts and has contacted embassies and govt authorities.“We only came to know about his detention when we called his contact number on March 25. It was attended by his colleague and roommate from Tamil Nadu who told us that Amjad was on his day shift at the workplace when he was picked up by ‘local authorities’,” Amjad’s elder sister, Shahida, told TOI on Tuesday.Amjad had gone to Saudi last June to join a company in Dammam. His father, Ghulam Ali, said: “Amjad’s colleague claimed that the ‘authorities’ didn’t cite any reason behind his detention nor informed him about the charges. They didn’t share the whereabouts of the detention centre or police station. We have absolutely no information about him now and are worried amid the West Asia crisis.”Ali said that “after checking his social media, we suspect that he was detained due to a post uploaded by him on his Facebook account on late Khamenei on March 3”. TOI has received a screenshot of the post.“Our family had written to the embassy of India in Riyadh and the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Delhi,” Shahida said. The Indian embassy has replied stating that they have taken up their matter with Saudi authorities, she added. Response from the Saudi embassy in India is awaited.The family also submitted an application at the local police station and sought help from the J&K govt.Meanwhile, the embassy of India in Riyadh, in its reply on April 2, stated: “The matter has been taken up with the Saudi authorities concerned. The embassy is following it up. Will keep you informed of the developments.”Amid the family’s desperate efforts, the J&K Students’ Association (JKSA) has written to the ministry of external affairs on Monday. JKSA’s national convenor Nasir Khuehami said, “The JKSA has written to minister S Jaishankar seeking urgent intervention, and raised concerns over his safety, legal status and prolonged inaccessibility…”Amjad, who is the fourth among eight siblings, including three elder sisters, is the family’s sole breadwinner. Their father is a pensioner after retiring from the handicrafts dept under Union ministry of textiles.
