Saudi Arabia repatriates 1,945 Indian deportees

Saudi Arabia repatriates 1,945 Indian deportees

Saudi Arabia has repatriated 1,945 Indian deportees during the current period of temporary suspension of international flights following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) operated several flights to various destinations in India as part of a major joint initiative undertaken by Saudi and Indian authorities to repatriate the stranded deportees.The deportees, mostly prisoners released from Saudi prisons, thanked Saudi and Indian authorities for the noble humanitarian gesture. They specially lauded the intensive efforts made by the Indian mission in the Kingdom, headed by Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Saeed, to facilitate their repatriation.A Saudia flight, carrying 362 deportees on board, left Riyadh on Wednesday for New Delhi. This was the fifth flight of the second batch of deportees, who included 211 and 151 people from deportation centres of Riyadh