Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 17: In a horrific road accident, at least 45 Haj pilgrims, including 42 Indian national of whom 18 members were from one family in Hyderabad, were killed when the bus they were travelling from Mecca collided with a diesel tanker near Medina in Saudi Arabia on Sunday night.
According to local media in Saudi Arabia, the crash happened near Mufrihat, approximately 25 kilometres before reaching Medina, around 1.30 AM IST. Official sources said there were 46 passengers on the bus, and only one person, a 24-year old youth, Mohd Abdul Shoiab, also a resident of Hyderabad, survived the accident. He was reportedly sitting near the driver when the bus en route from Mecca to Medina collided. He is admitted in a hospital but his latest condition is not known.
According to a Gulf News report, many passengers were reportedly asleep at the time, leaving them little chance to escape when the bus burst into flames after the collision. Most passengers on the bus were from Hyderabad in Telangana, Khaleej Times reported.
The group was reportedly returning from Mecca after completing their rituals and was en route to Medina at the time of the accident. The report said at least 11 women and 10 children were among the victims, though authorities are still verifying the numbers. Rescue teams said the bus was completely charred, making identification of victims extremely challenging.
The Telangana government has said it is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has asked officials in New Delhi to coordinate closely with embassy authorities. The government also has the Resident Commissioner to collect the details of the number of victims from Telangana in the accident, and a control room has been set up in the state secretariat.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the Saudi bus accident. “Deeply saddened by the accident in Medina involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities,” he said in a post on X.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said 42 Umrah pilgrims were on the bus when it caught fire. He said he was in touch with Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, who assured him that they were gathering information about the accident.
Reports said around 16 Umrah pilgrims who had travelled through two Hyderabad-based agencies, Al-Meena Hajj and Umrah Travels, were among the people killed in the devastating bus fire. Owaisi also requested that the central government bring the bodies back to India and provide proper medical treatment to the injured.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar reacted and said he was deeply shocked at the accident involving Indian nationals in Medina. “Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are giving fullest support to Indian nationals and families affected by this accident. Sincere condolences to the bereaved families. Pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he said in a post on X.
The Telangana Cabinet announced ₹5 lakhs ex gratia to the victims’ families. It was further decided that the deceased would be laid to rest in Saudi Arabia in accordance with their religious customs, and arrangements would be made to take two family members from each bereaved family to Saudi Arabia for the last rites.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has expressed shock over the incident and said the government is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. The officials were also ordered to contact the External Affairs Ministry and the Saudi Embassy to take immediate relief measures. In view of the accident, a 24×7 Control Room has been set up in the Consulate General of India, Jeddah. A control room has also been set up at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi.
A team led by Telangana Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin will be heading to Saudi Arabia, the state government announced on Monday.
Most of the 42 people killed in the road crash were from Hyderabad and a few from other parts of Telangana. At the Hajj House in Nampally in Hyderabad, grief hung heavy in the air on Monday afternoon. In the open, muddy courtyard, families clutched documents, photographs and each other, waiting for any word on their loved ones who died in the tragic bus crash in Saudi Arabia earlier in the morning.
Among them was Syed from Ramnagar, trembling as he spoke, still unable to process the scale of his loss. “I told them not to go together. Not to take all the children; at least some members of the family would have survived,” he said, breaking down mid-sentence. In one night, 18 members of his family, spanning three generations, were gone.
The Hyderabad-based family was to return on Saturday, their relatives said. “My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and their children went (for Umrah). They left eight days ago. The Umrah was done, and they were returning to Medina. Around 1.30 am, the accident occurred, and the bus was destroyed in the fire. They were supposed to return on Saturday,” Mohammed Asif said.
Asif said they were in constant touch with their relatives before the tragedy struck. “Eighteen members of one family — nine adults and nine children — have died. It is a terrible tragedy for us,” he said. Asif identified some of his relatives as Naseeruddin (70), his wife Akhter Begum (62), son Salauddin (42), daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), and Shabana (40), and their children.
At the Ramnagar home of Naseeruddin and his family, someone brought in the keys from a neighbour, and it was loud wails as his sister entered the home that was her brother’s home till now. “My brother’s entire family has been wiped out,” she cried out.