India
Indian Father and Son Held in Saudi for Taking Pictures With Indian Flag Released
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The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has emphasized in its tweets that displaying flags in Haram area of Mecca is banned.
A father and son duo from Gujarat were arrested in Saudi Arabia on Nov.16 by police for taking pictures with the Indian flag in the Haram area of Mecca. While the underaged son was released the same day after the intervention of Indian authorities, the father was released a day later.
According to the report in the Indian Express, Imtiaz Ali Saiyed, 45 and his son Uzair-Ali, 12 were detained by the Saudi Police for taking photographs with the Indian flag, also called as “tri-color” inside the Haram area in Mecca. When the incident came to light, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah intervened, after which the boy was released immediately. However, his father was released the next day.
Replying to tweets by Zuber Gopalani, National Executive Council member of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat’s Gujarat Chapter, the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Jeddah tweeted that both Indian nationals are released.
The CGI Jeddah also emphasized that displaying flags in Haram area of Mecca is banned.
With our immediate n timely intervention in Court proceedings n police Mr.Imtiaz arrested 2day in Makkah is also released.Tnx 2 all including local govt officials 4 support.All Indian Haj or Umrah Pilgrims pl note that display of Flags in Haram area is banned.@IndianEmbRiyadh
— India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) November 17, 2018
Imtiaz is resident of Tandalja area in Vadodara and works with a spectacle making firm in the city. He had gone to perform Umrah in Mecca with his wife and two children on Nov.12. He was detained with his son on Nov.16 night for posing and clicking picture with the Indian tri-color, reported the Times of India.
The Indian Express quoted Imtiaz’s brother Faiyaz Ali as saying, “My cousin who lives in Saudi informed us about the detention. We were informed that today in the evening the police will make a final decision regarding the case. We are yet to hear from them. They had taken the flag along with them but did not know that posing with it and taking pictures was an offense.”