Tragic Loss: 18 Members of Hyderabad Family Among 42 Indian Pilgrims Killed in Saudi Arabia Bus Accident

18 members of a family from Hyderabad have died in the Saudi Arabia accident

Hyderabad:

Eighteen members of one family, including nine children, are among the 42 Indian pilgrims who lost their lives in a tragic road accident near Medina in Saudi Arabia. The Hyderabad-based family was scheduled to return on Saturday, according to relatives who spoke with NDTV.

"My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and their children went for Umrah. They departed eight days ago. After completing the Umrah, they were on their way back to Medina when the accident occurred around 1:30 am, resulting in the bus being consumed by fire. They were due to return on Saturday," explained Mohammed Asif.

Asif mentioned they had been in regular communication with their relatives prior to the tragedy. "Eighteen members of one family - nine adults and nine children - have perished. This is a devastating tragedy for us," he stated.

Asif identified some of his deceased relatives as Naseeruddin (70), his wife Akhter Begum (62), son Salauddin (42), daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), and Shabana (40), along with their children.

At Naseeruddin's family home in Ramnagar, someone brought keys from a neighbor, leading to emotional scenes as his sister entered what was once her brother's residence. "My brother's entire family has been wiped out," she cried in anguish.

The majority of the 42 victims in the road crash were from Hyderabad. Their bus collided with a diesel tanker approximately 30 km from Medina, according to reports. The accident happened late at night when most passengers were asleep, preventing them from escaping as the vehicle caught fire following the collision.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed that he was "deeply saddened" by the incident. "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 wrote in a post on X.

The Indian consulate has established a control room and helpline following the incident. "In view of a tragic bus accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgrims, a 24x7 Control Room has been set up in Consulate General of India, Jeddah. The contact details of the Helpline are as under: Toll free number - 8002440003," the consulate announced on X.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has conveyed his sorrow over the incident and directed top state officials to maintain contact with the Indian consulate and provide necessary support. "The government will stand by the affected families. I pray that they remain strong," he said.