Indian Embassy issues shelter alert in Mexico after cartel violence

Embassy urges Indians to shelter in place after cartel clashes spread

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A truck unit passes by a burned bus, allegedly set on fire by organised crime groups in response to an operation to arrest a high-priority security target, on a highway near Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco state, Mexico on February 22, 2026.
A truck unit passes by a burned bus, allegedly set on fire by organised crime groups in response to an operation to arrest a high-priority security target, on a highway near Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco state, Mexico on February 22, 2026.
AFP

Dubai: Indian nationals in several parts of Mexico have been urged to remain indoors after violent clashes linked to a major cartel operation triggered widespread unrest, road blockades and security risks across multiple states.

The Embassy of India in Mexico issued the advisory on Monday following escalating violence after the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The warning applies to Indian citizens in Jalisco state, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala and Guadalajara, as well as areas of Tamaulipas, Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon.

Safety steps outlined

Authorities urged citizens to avoid travel and remain alert while monitoring official updates.

“Actions to Take. Avoid areas around law enforcement activity. Be aware of your surroundings. Seek shelter and minimise unnecessary movements outside your shelter. Monitor local media for updates. Follow the directions of local authorities and in case of emergency call 911. Avoid crowds. Keep family and friends advised of your location and well being via phone, text and social media,” the embassy said.

The embassy also asked nationals requiring assistance to contact its emergency helpline.

Operation triggers nationwide unrest

Violence erupted after Mexican military forces launched an operation in the town of Tapalpa targeting Oseguera Cervantes, one of the country’s most wanted cartel leaders.

Authorities said cartel members exchanged gunfire with security forces during the raid, resulting in multiple casualties. Oseguera Cervantes later died from injuries while being transported to Mexico City.

The operation sparked coordinated retaliation across several states, including burning vehicles, blocked highways and clashes with authorities, according to local officials.

Jalisco’s governor declared a code red emergency, suspended public transport and urged residents to remain indoors while security forces worked to stabilise the situation.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel ranks among Mexico’s most powerful criminal organisations and plays a major role in drug trafficking into the US.

US authorities had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Oseguera Cervantes’ capture.

- With inputs from ANI.

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, covering aviation, financial markets and commodities. A business and financial journalist with a strong interest in multimedia storytelling, she regularly takes complex financial and economic subjects beyond the written word, producing explainer videos that make them easier for a wider audience to understand. Nivetha has interviewed senior policymakers, business leaders and global financial figures both on and off camera. Her past guests include UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, a member of the House of Saud and the founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund and Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu. She has also hosted and moderated panels, conferences and awards shows, bringing her newsroom experience to live conversations on business, finance and the economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha is drawn to stories that affect people directly and to reporting that gives a platform to voices that might otherwise go unheard. She was among the first journalists to speak to Petrofac employees in the UAE about unpaid salaries, broke the news of the planned demolition of Dubai’s well-known “Toyota Building”, and helped set the record straight on widely circulated claims that a giant replica of the Moon was coming to Dubai. More recently, her exclusive interview with EDGE Group CEO Hamad Al Marar revealed how the UAE-based defence group deployed its systems along the country’s shore border and established a geofence around the UAE within 48 hours of the February 28 escalation. Prior to joining Gulf News, Nivetha worked at ITP Media, where she helped launch Finance Middle East, a new publication covering the region’s financial sector. Her role spanned reporting and editing, video production, interviews and events. Across print, digital, and video, she focuses on finding the people behind business stories and explaining why those stories matter to the audience reading or watching them.

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