Dead body of Indian youth killed in Riyadh brought to Sitapur, family crying in bad condition

Sitapur: The body of a 26-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, who was killed in a suspected missile attack in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh earlier this month, was brought to his native village in Sitapur on Wednesday. The person’s family members gave this information. Ravi Gopal, a resident of Baghain village of Mahmudabad police station area, was working as a driver in a plastic factory in Riyadh since September 2025. According to Gopal’s family, he died on the night of March 18 in a missile attack near the factory.

Gopal’s elder brother Manmohan Dayal said that his younger brother’s body was handed over to him in Lucknow on Wednesday morning with the help of the administration. He had earlier said, “The body was found around 9.30 in the morning. Now we are taking it to our village and we will probably reach there by noon. …The last rites will be held today and preparations are already being done in the village.”

Dayal said that to ensure that there is no problem during this period, Mahmudabad Naib Tehsildar Rakesh Kumar was deployed and he stayed with the convoy. He said the family had already been informed by embassy officials and the local administration that the body would be brought from Riyadh to Lucknow by Wednesday morning. Earlier, the family had claimed that Gopal had died after being buried under debris following a missile attack near the factory where he worked. He was taken to the hospital after the attack where doctors declared him dead.

The Ministry of External Affairs had said that it received information about the “tragic demise of an Indian national” in Riyadh on March 18. He had expressed condolences to the bereaved family. The Indian mission in Riyadh coordinated with local authorities to bring the body back to India. Gopal was the only earning member of his family. He is survived by his wife and four-year-old son. Gopal’s family has demanded compensation and assistance from the administration. Officials said the district administration is in touch with the family to complete the formalities smoothly.