Family criticise search for missing men

Saeed Dawood was travelling with relatives in India

Relatives of two British men missing after being caught up in riots in Gujarat have accused the Indian authorities of not doing enough to find them.

Saeed Dawood, 41, and Shakil Dawood, 37, from Batley, West Yorkshire, have not been seen since February.

The minibus they were travelling in was attacked by a mob and set on fire.

Another family member, Imran Dawood, was beaten unconscious but managed to escape.

Very little has been done in terms of investigating the incident

Yusuf Dawood

Yusuf Dawood, a relative of the missing men, has just returned from the Indian state.

Mr Dawood said: "The vehicle carrying my brother and my cousin and also two other UK citizens was ambushed by a mob on the main highway."

"The driver was murdered and one UK citizen was murdered and my nephew was left for dead.

"Since then, there has been no news of my brother or my cousin.

"Very little has been done in terms of investigating the incident and what happened since the incident.

"The (British) consular services, particularly in Bombay, have been working very hard, but their backs are against the wall because they are heavily reliant on the Indian authorities and I think very little has been provided to them."

Mr Dawood said the family would meet Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to discuss the case.

More than 400 people are reported to have been killed in the violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims in India over the past few months.