Sushma asks Saudi envoy to take up T'gana man's arrest for disrespecting' Kaaba

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said she had asked India’s Ambassador in Saudi Arabia to take up the matter of a Telangana man’s arrest in the country for a Facebook post which allegedly disrespected the ‘Kaaba’.

The “Kaaba” is one of the holiest sites in Islam and is located in Mecca. 38-year-old Shankar Ponnam from Telangana’s Jagtial, had reportedly superimposed a photo of Hindu god Shiva on the Kaaba, which amounts to blasphemy, a serious offence in Suadi Arabia.

According to reports, Shankar was arrested by the Riyadh police on November 21, just days after he posted the picture. His relatives in Telangana have been running pillar to post, trying to secure his release, without much progress.

But hope has re-ignited for the family, with Sushma Swaraj taking interest in the case after a Twitter user brought the incident to her attention and sought help.

After Shankar put up the controversial post on his Facebook page, he was beaten by some locals. The incident was recorded and Shankar can be seen apologising for the post and claiming that he did not intend to hurt anybody’s sentiment.

He has a wife and two children who stay stay with his parents in Jagtial.