The fire completely destroys their bus, and officers said identifying the victims will take time because the bodies were severely burnt
NEW DELHI – A devastating bus accident near the holy city of Madinah in Saudi Arabia early Monday claimed the lives of 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims, mostly from Hyderabad. The casualties include a dozen women and an equal number of children, initial reports reaching here said.
According to Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar Forty-five people have died, and there is only one survivor, who is currently in hospital.
The bus, carrying pilgrims from the holy city of Makkah to Madinah, collided with a diesel tanker around 1.30 am IST, triggering a massive fire that engulfed the vehicle.
The victims, who were mostly asleep at the time of the crash, had little chance to escape the inferno. Rescue workers described the scene as extremely difficult to handle, with the bus completely destroyed and bodies severely burnt, making identification a challenge.
According to sources quoted by Siasat.com many of the victims are believed to be from Mallepally, Bazarghat and Tappa Chabutra.
Officials are still confirming the exact number of casualties. The only known survivor was pulled out from the wreckage, but his condition remains unknown.
The pilgrims had successfully completed their religious rituals in Makkah and were on its journey to visit Madinah when the incident took place.
The Indian government has set up a 24×7 control room in Jeddah to assist relatives of the victims. The contact details of the helpline are: 8002440003 (Toll free) 0122614093, 0126614276 and 0556122301 (WhatsApp).
The Telangana government also has opened a control room at the state secretariat to assist worried families and provide official information as soon as it becomes available. The helpline numbers +91 7997959754 and +91 9912919545
Reports reaching here quoted rescue workers describing the site as extremely difficult to handle. The fire completely destroyed the bus, and officers said identifying the victims will take time because the bodies were severely burnt.
Saudi Civil Defence and local police reached the spot soon after the accident. Indian Embassy officials and representatives of the Umrah agency also went to the site to help with recovery work and gather information for families in India.
In Hyderabad, families of the pilgrims continue to wait anxiously for updates, calling travel agents and government offices to find out whether their relatives were safe. What began as a spiritual trip has left many families in deep anxiety and grief.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said he was shocked by the news. He noted that several of the victims “may be from Hyderabad” and directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to collect full details. He asked officials to coordinate with the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy, saying that “immediate help must be provided wherever needed.”
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi expressed grief over the tragedy. In a telephonic conversation with ANI, Owaisi said that he had contacted two Hyderabad-based travel agencies and shared the passengers’ information with the Riyadh Embassy. He also spoke to Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, who told him that they are gathering information from local authorities and would update him soon.
