Telangana families worry about Gulf migrant workers amid West Asia tensions

Growing tension in West Asia following the recent escalation between Iran and the US-Israel combine has left many families in Telangana worried about their relatives working in Gulf countries.

The unease is especially noticeable in districts like the erstwhile Nizamabad and Karimnagar, where a large number of people are employed abroad. Over the past two days, families have been checking in frequently through online audio and video calls, hoping to hear reassuring updates.

With hundreds of thousands of workers, mainly blue-collar ones, from districts such as Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Nalgonda and Warangal spread across Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Israel, the uncertainty has been unsettling for families back home. Students studying in these countries have also been reaching out to reassure their parents.

In the Rajanna-Sircilla district, a woman from Narsingapur village of Chandurthi mandal said she had been worried about her husband, who works as a construction supervisor in Riyadh. “After speaking to him on IMO, I felt calmer knowing he was safe,” she said.

Another woman from Pegadapalli in Karimnagar district expressed similar concern about the safety of her husband, who is working in Dubai. Several other relatives of people working in the region shared similar updates.

Meanwhile, P. Ramesh, a financial manager from Karimnagar district now based in Sharjah, said life there continues normally and that civilian areas have not been affected. Another Karimnagar native living in Jeddah said people had begun stocking up on essentials, but added that “there is no widespread sense of panic”.

Naresh, a native of Nuthpalli village in Nizamabad and currently working in Dubai, said they were confined to their rooms on Saturday and reported that there were no casualties. Another worker from Mucharla village in Nizamabad district stated that they had been receiving advance alerts about the attack and confirmed that all workers from the area are safe.

NRI Advisory Committee vice-chairman Manda Bheem Reddy said nearly 15 lakh people from Telangana work in Gulf countries and the Indian government will step in with assistance when required.

Despite these reassurances, many families remain tense. Videos shared by migrants showing missile interceptions, smoke in the distance, and emergency measures have been circulating widely on social media. These visuals match regional reports of multiple interceptions and debris related incidents across Gulf cities.

Travel disruptions have added to the uncertainty. Some migrants who had planned to return home this week have postponed their journeys following flight cancellations and shifting schedules. A native of Karimnagar, who is a senior procurement manager, employed in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, said his February 28 flight from Hyderabad to Dammam was cancelled following the war. “I am not sure when I will be able to resume my travel,” he added.