A tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia has claimed the lives of at least 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims, including 16 residents of Hyderabad, after their bus collided with a diesel tanker while travelling from Mecca to Madinah early Monday morning.
Deadly Collision Near Madinah
The accident took place around 1:30 am IST near Mufrihat, roughly 160 km from Madinah. The bus, carrying 43 passengers, went up in flames following the impact. According to preliminary information shared with the Telangana government, only one person is reported to have survived, while the rest were charred in the fire.
The group had flown from Hyderabad on November 9, completing their Umrah rituals in Mecca before commencing their journey to Madinah. The pilgrims included 20 women and 11 children.
Telangana Confirms Multiple Fatalities
State IT minister D. Sridhar Babu confirmed that at least 16 victims belonged to the Bazarghat area in Mallepalli, Hyderabad. Efforts are underway to verify the identities of the deceased and establish contact with their families.
Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said he had spoken with officials at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, including Deputy Chief of Mission Abu Mathen George, who assured him that information was being compiled.
Owaisi urged the Union government to expedite the repatriation of the bodies and ensure any injured pilgrims receive proper medical care.
Saudi and Indian Officials Mobilised
Saudi Civil Defence teams, along with local police, reached the crash site immediately to begin recovery operations. Representatives from Indian agencies and Umrah tour operators also arrived to assist authorities and gather details for families in India.
In Hyderabad, anxious relatives have been contacting travel agencies and officials, awaiting official confirmation about their loved ones.
Travel Agency Confirms Its Pilgrims Among Dead
A representative from Al Meena Travel Agency in Bazarghat said that 20 pilgrims from their group flew to Saudi Arabia earlier this month. Of them, 16 were travelling in the ill-fated bus.
The agency listed the following pilgrims as feared dead:
- Mohammad Manzoor (50)
- Zaheen Begum (19)
- Shaukat Begam (57)
- Farheen Begum (43)
- Zakia Begum (47)
- Mastan Mohammad (55)
- Parveen Begum (35)
- Sohail Mohammad (23)
- Abdul Mohammad (24)
- Mohammad Maulana (62)
- Abdul Mohammad (57)
- Ghousiya Begum (46)
- Shehnaz Begum (41)
- Rahmat Bee (80)
- Raheem Unnisa (60)
Telangana CM Orders Coordination With Centre and Saudi Authorities
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep grief over the tragedy and instructed Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao and DGP B. Shivadhar Reddy to obtain complete details of the victims. The CM also directed officials to work closely with the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy for immediate support and relief measures.
The Chief Secretary has alerted Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal in New Delhi to coordinate updates and maintain communication with Saudi authorities regarding the victims from Telangana.
