Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — An Indian expatriate who had been prevented from traveling for the last couple of years because of a car loan issue finally left the Kingdom on Wednesday after the travel ban against him was lifted thanks to the efforts of community workers and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah.

Rajan Palakkundu Parambil, a 53-year-old worker hailing from Malappuram district in Kerala, was employed by a contracting company in Najran. The firm ran into troubles with many workers leaving the company as a result of frequent missile attacks by the Houthi militias targeting civilians in the border regions of Narjan.

“There are no words to describe my ordeal. I was suffering every hour and every day for the last two years because I was not able to travel home,” Rajan told Saudi Gazette.

He said he simply did not know what to do but help finally came from the Indian consulate and the Keralite community under the leadership of T.M. Abdul Rauf.

According to Rajan, his employer had bought a car in his name on installments for work-related purposes. After short stint in Najran, Rajan moved to Jeddah to work for a different employer. The work went on normally without any problem.

However, when Rajan decided to return home for good he learned that he was placed under a travel ban and not allowed to leave the Kingdom without settling the outstanding amount for the car, which according to him was purchased by his employer in Najran.

Meanwhile, his residency visa expired adding further to his ordeal.

Rajan approached the court with assistance from the Indian consulate but he was not able to prove that the due amount was paid by his employer.

The firm that he had worked with earlier in Najran was caught in the recession and was almost non-existent.

The Keralite community in Jeddah came together to bail him out with the support of the Indian consulate, which negotiated with the car dealer for leniency. Subsequently the car dealer agreed to settle for a less amount than he had earlier demanded in the court.

The Keralite community came together to collect the money to clear the dues and revoke his travel ban.

Finally, after completing legal formalities Rajan flew home on Wednesday. Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh handed him the travel documents in the presence of Consul Moin Akhtar, Vice Consul Sanjay Sharma, and community leader Abdul Rauf. Rajan expressed his gratitude to everyone for their assistance.