Imtiaz Ali Saiyed (in white shirt) Uzair Ali Saiyed (in blue shirt)
Jeddah: A family who visited Mecca on a holy pilgrimage was struck with a shocker, when the father-son duo was taken into custody by the Saudi police, the reason being, a photograph which had the tricolour flag of India, along with the father and son.
The arrested were Imtiaz Ali Saiyed (45) and Uzair Ali Saiyed (12). Both are said to be the residents of Vadodara, Gujarat.
Imtiaz, along with his wife and two children had left on a holy pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. The father-son duo had clicked a photograph with Indian national flag, based on which, the police had arrested them.
The clarification by the police was that it was “Haram” (forbidden according to the Islamic law) to display flags in the restricted/banned area.
According to the sources, it is said that Imtiaz’s family had made a request with the PM Modi, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj and Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.
Based on the plea the Central government had intimated the CGI (Consulate General of India), and as a result of their intervention, both father and son were released, on Saturday, November 18.
Later in a tweet, the CGI had said that they were able to meet father Imtiaz and son Uzair at the Haram Police Station and had spoken to the officials for an early release.
According to an Indian national daily, Imtiaz’s brother said that the family had taken the tricolour with them, unknowing of the fact that it was banned and was “Haram” in that area.
