Washington, Oct 9 : Expressing concern over the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist, US President Donald Trump has urged the Gulf nation to support a through investigation into the missing scribe's whereabouts and be transparent about the results of the probe.

Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor, has been missing since last week after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

According to some media reports, Khashoggi, 59, has been killed inside the Saudi consulate.

"I am concerned about it. I don't like hearing about it. Hopefully that (it) will sort itself out. Right now nobody knows anything about it, but there's some pretty bad stories going around. I do not like it," Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.

"Turkish officials have said they believe he was killed inside in a planned murder. A team of 15 Saudis arrived on two planes to carry out the killing, officials have said," 'The Washington Post' reported.

Saudi officials, however, insist that Khashoggi left the consulate through a back door.

Khashoggi, a US resident, has written articles over the past year critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On the eve of his planned marriage to a Turkish woman, he entered the consulate on October 2 and has not been seen since.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had seen conflicting reports on the safety and whereabouts of Khashoggi.

"As the President has conveyed, the United States is concerned by his disappearance. State Department senior officials have spoken with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through diplomatic channels about this matter," he said.

"We call on the government of Saudi Arabia to support a thorough investigation of Mr Khashoggi's disappearance and to be transparent about the results of that investigation," Pompeo said in a statement.

US Vice President Mike Pence also commented on the mystery over the missing journalist, saying "the free world deserves answers".

"Deeply troubled to hear reports about Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. If true, this is a tragic day. Violence against journalists across the globe is a threat to freedom of the press and human rights. The free world deserves answers," Pence said in a tweet.

 

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Lucknow (PTI): A 60-year-old man allegedly died on the way to a hospital in an ambulance after he could not get a ventilator at the King George Medical University where he was undergoing treatment for a heart condition.

The KGMU administration, however, claimed it tried to save the man and referred him to another facility in the absence of a ventilator.

Wazirganj Police Station SHO Dinesh Chandra Mishra said a complaint has been filed by the man's family but an FIR was yet to be lodged.

According to his family, Abrar Ahmed, a resident of an area under Dubagga Police Station, underwent angioplasty in 2018 at KGMU's Cardiology Department (Lari Cardiology).

He was admitted to KGMU's emergency centre after his condition deteriorated Sunday night.

Seeing his condition, doctors said he needed a ventilator immediately but since there was no spare unit, they referred him to another hospital.

Ahmed's son Saif alleged that doctors did not pay heed to his father's repeated requests for a ventilator.

"My father was given four injections after which he started to bleed from nose and mouth. Despite his pleadings, doctors treated him badly. He was referred to the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences and he died on the way," Saif told reporters.

KGMU spokesperson Sudhir Singh said Ahmed was diagnosed with a coronary artery disease in 2018, but he skipped checkups.

"The patient underwent angioplasty. After angioplasty, the doctor called him for checkup from time to time, but the patient did not come to the OPD for follow-up after that," the hospital said in a statement.

"When his health deteriorated, the patient was brought to the emergency room in a serious condition of heart failure. Where the doctors immediately admitted him and put him on oxygen support and necessary tests were done," it said.

The patient had difficulty breathing, but "unfortunately, all the ICU-ventilator beds of Lari Cardiology were full."

"He was put on oxygen support and was immediately advised to be taken to Sanjay Gandhi PGI and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences. A reference letter was also given. An ambulance was also provided from KGMU to take the patient to another institution. Unfortunately, despite all efforts, the patient could not be saved," the statement said.