Telangana man dies due to dehydration after wandering into Saudi Arabian desert

A 27-year-old man from Telangana identified as Mohammed Shehzad Khan, and his Sudanese colleague died of dehydration and exhaustion in Saudi Arabia's Rub' al Khali desert. On Sunday, August 25, Shehzad, a resident of Karimnagar, and his colleague went to the Rub' al Khali desert. However, they got lost due to the GPS malfunction. 

Rub' al Khali  stretches over 650 kilometres,  and is known for its harsh conditions and spans across Saudi Arabia's southern regions and into neighbouring countries.

The duo could not call anyone for help as Shehzad's phone battery also died. Their vehicle ran out of fuel, and were left stranded without food or water in the desert's scorching heat, NDTV reported.

Shehzad and his colleague died of dehydration and exhaustion. However, The Indian Express has reported that Shehzad's family has denied these claims and Saudi authorities have told the relatives no such thing. The family also told IE that Saudi authorities contacted them to obtain permission for a post-mortem.

Their bodies were found on Thursday, lying next to their vehicle in the sand dunes. According to reports, their car broke down after the fuel ran out, forcing them to wander in the desert. Their bodies were found on a prayer mat. 

Shehzad’s family has requested privacy and did not respond to any media queries, Siasat reported.

Meanwhile, details of Shehzad’s Sudanese colleague is yet to be ascertained.