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‘There’s no relief until I see him’: A mother’s plea as UP man lies in ICU after projectile attack in Riyadh
From Moradabad, Mohammad Azam’s family was watching the Iran-US conflict unfold when they heard the news that a projectile had struck the Al-Kharj building where he stayed with fellow workers on March 8.
The family said Mohammad Azam left for Saudi Arabia three years ago for a better job, hoping to earn more and help his family financially. (Express photo)
For the past two days, Jainav Khatoon has been anxiously calling relatives in Saudi Arabia for updates on her son, Mohammad Azam (24), who was injured when a military projectile fell on his residence in Riyadh amid the ongoing Iran-US-Israel conflict.
“Residents from our area who are working in Riyadh told us Azam is in the ICU at a hospital. They say his condition is stabilising. But as a mother, I will only feel relieved after I see him myself through a photograph or a video,” said Khatoon, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad.
The family said Azam left for Saudi Arabia three years ago for a better job, hoping to earn more and help his family financially.
Azam’s elder brother, Kasim Ali, said he found work as a diesel mechanic and repairs heavy trucks. Azam was staying at the company accommodation in Al-Kharj, in Riyadh, along with workers from Bangladesh — the same building that the projectile struck.
“On March 8, we found out that a military projectile struck the house where they were staying, triggering a fire. Two Bangladeshi nationals… and my brother was injured,” said Kasim.
“A man from our area who lives in Saudi told us… he said news of the incident was widely circulating on social media there.”
Kasim said at the family’s request, a local resident went to the hospital where Azam had been admitted but could not meet him.
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Meanwhile, amid initial reports that an Indian national had been killed in the strike, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh posted on X on March 9 that there has been no Indian fatality. “It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday evening,” it wrote.
“The Embassy has been in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities regarding this issue. Counsellor (CW) Shri Y. Sabir visited Al Kharj last night and met the injured Indian national involved in this unfortunate incident. He is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Al Kharj,” it added.
Azam, who studied till Class 12, is the second of three sons of Khatoon and Kamruddin. The family said he is the first to go abroad for work.
Khatoon recalled his last visit home. “Azam had come home on a two-month leave last year before returning in December,” she said.
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“He would call regularly to check on us. Since the conflict began, we’ve been so worried… we kept trying to contact him but couldn’t reach him over the last five days.”
“My brother has been a strong support for the family. He regularly sent money from Saudi Arabia, which helped us manage household expenses,” added Kasim.
Khatoon appealed to the authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for her son. “We request the authorities that he be brought back to India. We will decide about sending him back again once the situation returns to normal,” she said.
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