Hit by COVID-19, 450 Indians held in Saudi Arabia for begging on streets

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has hit the daily livelihood of many people and in the latest piece of development, 450 Indian workers in Saudi Arabia have been forced to beg on the streets. According to a Times of India report, the workers are mainly from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan and Karnataka. The work permits of these workers have now expired and thus they have to beg as their situation is worse. The workers were later shifted to detention centres. 

Videos have gone viral where the workers are being taken to the Shumaisi detention centre in Jeddah. Among the workers 39 belong to the state of Uttar Pradesh, 10 belong to Bihar, 5 are from Telangana and four each from the state of J and K, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Workers said that they have not committed any crime but had to beg as they had lost their jobs and were helpless.Social worker and MBT leader Amjed Khan told TOI that the workers with an expired work permit were taken to detention centres .A total of 2.4 lakh Indians were reported  to return to the country but only 40,000 have made it so far.