Srinagar, Oct 24 (NVI) At least 34 Kashmiri pilgrims who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah are facing financial hardship after their return flights were cancelled, leaving them struggling to meet expenses for food, accommodation and medicines, according to the pilgrims.
The pilgrims were scheduled to return to Kashmir on October 13 but were unable to travel amid prevailing security concerns.
With their stay extended beyond the planned duration, the pilgrims said their financial resources were running low, making it increasingly difficult to meet their daily needs.
According to a flight cancellation schedule shared by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, IndiGo flights to and from Riyadh will remain cancelled until October 31, while services connecting Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah will remain cancelled until October 27.
Some passengers have managed to return through connecting flights and alternative routes, but the stranded pilgrims said the high cost of such arrangements was beyond the means of several members of their group.—(NVI)
