Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru/Kuwait

Mangaluru/Kuwait, Nov 10: The external affairs ministry is putting in its best efforts for the release of the nine Indians, hailing from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, who were arrested in Kuwait for performing Satyanarayana Puja allegedly without official permission.

The nine Indians, employed in Kuwait, are said to be office-bearers of Navachetana Welfare Association. They were arrested on claims that they had performed Satyanarayana puja in violation of Kuwait law, sources said.

It is learnt the Indian ambassador in Kuwait is in touch with the authorities there and is holding talks with the government representatives concerned. It is also learnt that as a result of his intervention, the anxious families of those arrested have been allowed to speak with them.

Sources also suggested that the Kuwait government had been preparing to deport the arrested men to India, but on the request of the families and the Indian ambassador, the move has been put on hold for now. The families are worried that if the arrested men were to be deported, they would find it difficult to go abroad again.

It is learnt that an enquiry would be conducted again at the government level and the future course of action decided based on the findings.

Relatives of the arrested persons had approached external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj with a request to help them in the matter. MP Shobha Karandlaje too has brought this incident to the attention of the minister

Shobha Karandlaje said that after the issue was brought to her notice by a Karkala-based family, she had contacted the external affairs ministry with a request to get information about them. She said that efforts are on to get the arrested persons released and brought to India at the earliest.