Hundreds of Indians held in Kuwait

Thought the exact number of Indians taken into custody is not clear, the official said that the Indian embassy in Kuwait has accepted around 300 applications from relatives of those arrested and the officials are going to visit police stations to look into the matter.

Some of those arrested have already been released, he told PTI.

According to reports, officials from Kuwait's Ministry of Interior apprehended 2,136 individuals for expired residency and involvement in drug, theft, liquor and such cases during impromptu security campaigns.

However, the nationality of those arrested was not revealed in those reports.

"Since we are in the middle of the weekend, we are accepting applications and visiting the police stations to seek further details. The three labour attaches at the embassy will take up the matter beginning tomorrow," the embassy official said.

He said they are unaware of the details as each case is different and will have to be treated differently.

"Some of them have khadim and khaddama (i.E. Domestic) visas that have either not been regulated or are illegal in the first place, he said.

Such arrests are generally followed by deportation with a ban on entry to the country.

An amnesty given by Kuwait last year helped a large number of Indians regularise their papers.

Earlier a statement from the Security Media Department of Kuwait's Ministry of Interior said that the authorities will continue such campaigns and strict legal action will be taken against sponsors who fail to report the disappearance of their laborers.