Indian Driver Kamlesh Pandey Killed in Dammam Airport Attack
Indian expat Kamlesh Pandey was among those killed in a Houthi missile strike on Saudi Arabia's Dammam airport.
A devastating missile or drone strike, attributed to Iran-backed Houthi rebels, struck King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on the night of October 21, 2026. The tragic report of Kamlesh Pandey killed in Dammam has sent shockwaves through his home community, as the 36-year-old Indian national was among the casualties of the attack. Pandey was working as a bus driver and ground staff member at the airport when the strike occurred.
A Family’s Sole Provider Lost
Kamlesh Pandey hailed from Kishun Pur village in Bansgaon, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. He had been working at the Dammam airport for approximately three to four years, serving as the primary breadwinner for his family. He is survived by his wife, Sunita, and their two daughters, aged 14 and 10.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has confirmed his death. Officials are currently coordinating with the family and local police in Bansgaon to facilitate the repatriation of his remains to India.
Casualties and Injuries in the Strike
The attack on the airport resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. In addition to Pandey, Saudi authorities identified a second fatality, Sultan Al-Qahtani, an airport worker who died from smoke inhalation while attempting to fight the resulting fires.
The incident also left several others injured, including:
- Two Indian nationals
- Two Yemeni citizens
- Two Bangladeshi nationals
- One Nepalese citizen
- One Saudi national
Escalating Conflict and Regional Impact
The Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for this strike, as well as other recent attacks targeting the Saudi Defense Ministry in Riyadh, an Aramco site in Yanbu, and Abha airport. The regional tension has reached a critical point, with several other incidents reported recently:
- Shaybah Oilfield: Hours before the Dammam strike, a drone targeting the Shaybah oilfield killed a Filipino and a Nepali worker, while injuring an Indian national.
- Riyadh Attack: An October 10 strike on King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people, including an IT professional from Hyderabad.
- Maritime Attacks: A drone strike on the MT Petro Dolphin tanker off the coast of Oman has left two Indian sailors missing.
Mass Exodus of Indian Expats
The ongoing conflict in the Gulf has had a profound impact on the Indian diaspora. India has officially confirmed at least six Indian deaths and one missing person linked to the recent hostilities. Since February 28, more than 300,000 Indians have returned to their home country.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure and has established 24/7 control rooms at Indian missions to assist the approximately 10 million Indians living in the GCC. As security concerns grow, many are coordinating exits through Bahrain, Kuwait, or Qatar. Furthermore, major airlines including Air India and IndiGo have suspended flights to various Saudi cities, while the U.S. has ordered the evacuation of non-essential diplomatic staff from the Kingdom.