Hyderabad: 45 people were killed in a horrific road accident in Saudi Arabia. Many of these people are believed to be residents of Hyderabad who were on the Mecca-Medina Umrah pilgrimage. The victims were traveling in a bus. The bus collided with a diesel tanker in the Mufarhat area between Badr and Medina. The collision caused the bus to catch fire, killing almost all on board.
45 killed in road accident in Saudi Arabia: Hyderabad Police Commissioner
Hyderabad Police Commissioner Sajjanar said that according to preliminary information, the accident occurred while the passengers were on their way to Medina after completing the Mecca pilgrimage. A total of 54 people left Hyderabad for Jeddah on November 9th. The journey was scheduled to continue until November 23rd. Four of them left for Medina by car yesterday. Four others remained in Mecca. The remaining 46 left Mecca for Medina by bus. The bus collided with an oil tanker at 1:30 a.m., 25 kilometers from Medina. Forty-five people died in the accident. Only one person, Abdul Shoaib, survived. He is currently in the hospital. The deceased are believed to be from Mallepally, Bazarghat, Asifnagar, and other areas.
Passengers were sleeping at the time of the incident
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. (Indian Standard Time) on Monday. After colliding with a diesel tanker, the bus caught fire and spread throughout the bus. All passengers were sleeping at the time of the accident. Prime Minister Modi expressed grief over the incident
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X, “I am deeply saddened by the accident involving Indian citizens in Medina. My condolences are with the families who lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate General in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance.” Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities.’ 16 of the deceased are residents of Mallepally
According to preliminary reports, 16 of the deceased are residents of Mallepally, while others are said to be from Toli Chowk, Tappachabutra, Asifnagar, and Goshamahal. Many of these people had booked their pilgrimage through local travel agencies. Family members of the victims said that 45 people were traveling through Al Makkah Tours and Travels, and several others through a travel agency based in Mallepally. A relative said that six members of his family, including three women, were on board the bus. He said they received information late at night that the accident occurred about 25 kilometers from Medina. A relative of one of the victims said, “We still don’t have complete information about what happened. As soon as we learned about the accident, we contacted MP Asaduddin Owaisi.”
Azharuddin called the incident unfortunate.
Former cricketer and Telangana minister Mohammad Azharuddin said, “This incident is very unfortunate and tragic. Many people died after a bus carrying people collided with a diesel tanker. I have received information that the bodies are so charred that they cannot be identified. The government has also issued a helpline number and we are providing all assistance. I am personally monitoring the situation and we are ensuring that at least one member of the victim’s family is sent to Saudi Arabia.” Asaduddin Owaisi’s reaction
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi confirmed that full details of the accident are not yet available. Owaisi said, “We are contacting the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. I have also spoken to the Foreign Minister.” He urged the government to provide full cooperation in bringing the bodies back to India. The MP further said that they are trying to verify the identities of the deceased and injured through official channels.
Actor Chiranjeevi expressed grief over the accident.
Actor Chiranjeevi Konidela said, “Our heartfelt sympathies and condolences are with the families of the victims. We pray to God to grant peace to the souls of the deceased.”
Umrah turns into tragedy
Many families had sent their relatives on Umrah to the holy cities. They said they had booked trips to Mecca and Medina through private travel agencies but had no idea their trip would end in such a terrible accident. Local communities in Mallepally, Toli Chowk, Tappachabutra, and surrounding areas are in shock and awaiting official confirmation of the casualties. Further information is expected from Saudi authorities and the Indian Embassy as identification and rescue operations continue.
Telangana Chief Minister expresses grief over accident
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Monday expressed grief over the bus accident involving Indians on Umrah in Saudi Arabia. The Telangana government said it was in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh after local media reported that Indian Umrah pilgrims were killed in the accident.
In an official statement, the state government confirmed that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had alerted officials in New Delhi and directed them to coordinate closely with embassy officials. According to the Telangana CMO, several Hyderabad residents were on board the bus that was traveling from Mecca to Medina.
Telangana Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, in Hyderabad, informed Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal, who is in Delhi. He ordered that information be collected regarding the number of people from the state involved in the accident and that the CMO be immediately provided. A control room has been set up at the Secretariat to monitor the situation. Further information is awaited.
Control room set up at the Telangana Government Secretariat
The state government was alerted after receiving information about the involvement of people from Hyderabad in the bus accident in Saudi Arabia. The state government contacted the Consulate General in Jeddah and the Deputy Consulate in Riyadh and asked them for complete information on whether there were any pilgrims from the state and, if so, how many.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ordered the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to obtain complete details of the incident. The Resident Commissioner and Coordination Secretary in Delhi were instructed to coordinate with officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and provide complete information.
They were advised to immediately take appropriate relief measures if necessary. On the Chief Minister’s orders, Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao informed Coordination Secretary Gaurav Uppal in Delhi. A control room has been set up in Saudi Arabia to provide appropriate information and assistance to the families of the bus accident victims.
Two phone numbers have also been issued for this purpose. Families and relatives of those who traveled to Mecca are expressing concern. They are contacting travel agencies to inquire if their relatives are among the deceased.
