: In a tragic incident, over 40 Indian pilgrims lost their lives after a bus in which they were travelling caught fire after colliding with a diesel tanker. According to Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, at least 45 people, most of them from Hyderabad, were killed in a bus accident. The pilgrims were returning to Madinah from Mecca after Umrah.
The incident took place at around 1:30 am IST when the pilgrims were sleeping. After the collision, within seconds, the bus caught fire and its occupants were charred to death. Most of the deceased were from Telangana. At least 16 pilgrims were from Mallepally’s Bazaar Ghat, reported The Times of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy. “Deeply saddened by the accident in Medinah 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,” the Prime Minister said.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued helpline numbers for the relatives of the victims. The helpline numbers issued by the embassy are – 8002440003 (toll free), 0122614093, 0126614276, and 0556122301 (WhatsApp).
