UP man killed in Riyadh in missile attack, claims family
Sitapur (UP) (PTI): A 26-year-old man was killed in a suspected missile attack in Riyadh, his family alleged on Saturday, claiming that they were yet to give an official confirmation.
Ravi Gopal from Baghain village in Mahmudabad Police Station limits had been working as a driver in a plastic factory in the Saudi capital since September 2025, his family said.
Ritu, his wife, said Ravi last spoke to the family on March 18 around 9.30 pm.
"The call got disconnected after about 20 minutes, and when we tried calling back, we found the phone switched off. We also tried contacting his friends there, but could not reach anyone," she said.
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According to the family, they were informed about Ravi's death the next day by his friend Ram Niwas, a native of Barabanki who also works in Saudi Arabia.
Ram Niwas told them that Ravi died in a missile strike near the factory.
Ravi's elder brother, Manmohan Dayal, said that they were told that Ravi was working when he was buried in the debris from a missile attack.
"He was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him dead. Ram Niwas identified the body," he said.
Dayal said local police in Mahmudabad have contacted the family to collect details of the incident and Ravi's employment for verification.
A relative of the family, who also works in Saudi Arabia and is currently about 1,400 km away from Riyadh, is expected to reach there to help confirm the death.
Ravi was the sole breadwinner of his family, and he is survived by his wife and four-year-old son.
The family has urged the administration to provide compensation and facilitate the return of his body to their village.
Mehmudabad Sub-Divisional Magistrate B K Singh told PTI that the administration was in regular contact with the family members to coordinate the next steps.
"The details of the family have been gathered and shared with the government for further action. The administration is in touch with the family members," Singh said.
At an inter-ministerial briefing, Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Aseem R Mahajan, said on Friday that the government had received information late on March 18 regarding the "tragic demise of an Indian national" during an attack in Riyadh, though he did not elaborate on the circumstances.
He offered his condolences to the bereaved family and said the Indian Mission in Riyadh is in touch with them and coordinating with local authorities for the early return of the mortal remains.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh also said in a social media post that an Indian national was killed on March 18.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
