Banglore, Nov 17: Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar on Monday confirmed that 45 Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana died in a tragic bus accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia. Only one passenger, Md Abdul Shoaib, survived and is in critical condition in a Saudi hospital.
The group was travelling from Makkah to Madinah when their bus collided with an oil tanker, triggering a massive fire that engulfed the vehicle within minutes. Of the 46 passengers on board, 45 died on the spot.
ALSO READ: Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death for ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ by Bangladesh Tribunal
A total of 54 pilgrims had left Hyderabad on 9 November, but some had travelled separately or stayed back, avoiding the crash.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy expressed condolences and assured full support. The Indian Consulate in Jeddah has opened a 24×7 helpline for families and is coordinating with Saudi authorities.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has urged the Centre to bring back the bodies of the deceased pilgrims.
