World · Middle East · 1 hr ago
Malayali nurse Philomina is in Saudi police custody after Jeddah airport stop
Saudi police have taken nurse Philomina into custody after she was stopped at Jeddah airport.
The 32-year-old is from Wayanad in Kerala and has worked at King Fahd Hospital in Riyadh for three years.
She was travelling from Bengaluru to Riyadh after annual leave, with a connecting flight planned from Jeddah.
She sent her father and husband a voice message saying airport staff had stopped her, taken her luggage and asked for her phone; her family could not reach her afterward.
Prohibited medicines were reportedly found in her luggage, according to information shared by the Indian Consulate in Jeddah.
Her family and community workers confirmed she was in police custody, after first being unable to find her at work in Riyadh.
Indian diplomatic officials are involved, and legal steps are under way; no further details about the case are available.
Philomina, a 32-year-old nurse from Kerala’s Wayanad district, is in Saudi police custody after being stopped at Jeddah airport.
The Indian Consulate in Jeddah said she was detained in connection with medicines prohibited in Saudi Arabia.
A report said prohibited medicines were found in her luggage.
Philomina had been returning to her job at King Fahd Hospital in Riyadh after annual leave.
Her family lost contact with her after she sent them a voice message from the airport.
- Who
- Philomina, a 32-year-old nurse from Wayanad, Kerala.
- What
- She is in Saudi police custody after being stopped at Jeddah airport. The reports link her detention to medicines prohibited in Saudi Arabia found in her luggage.
- When
- She arrived in Jeddah on October 10, 2026, after annual leave. The reports were published on October 14, 2026.
- Where
- Jeddah airport, Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- The Indian Consulate said her detention was related to possession of medicines prohibited in Saudi Arabia.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Philomina flew from Bengaluru to Jeddah after annual leave, intending to take a connecting flight to Riyadh.
She sent a voice message to her father and husband saying airport officials had stopped her, taken her luggage and asked for her phone.
Her family could no longer contact her and began searching for information about her whereabouts.
The reports said Philomina was in Saudi police custody; the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah were involved.
- Name
- Philomina
- Age
- 32
- Home district
- Wayanad, Kerala
- Employer
- King Fahd Hospital, Riyadh
- Arrival in Jeddah
- October 10, 2026
- Detention
- Saudi police custody, Jeddah