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A devastating road accident in Saudi Arabia has claimed the lives of 45 Indian pilgrims after their bus caught fire near Medina, marking one of the deadliest tragedies involving Indian nationals performing the Umrah pilgrimage.
A major tragedy unfolded in Saudi Arabia when a bus carrying Indian pilgrims caught fire near Medina, resulting in the deaths of 45 passengers. The information was confirmed by VC Sajjanar, the police commissioner of Hyderabad, during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The bus, carrying 46 pilgrims—most of them from Hyderabad in India’s Telangana state—was travelling from Mecca to Medina after completing part of the Umrah pilgrimage. One man survived the accident and has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital.
According to early reports, an oil tanker was involved in the collision, although further details are yet to be released by authorities. The Telangana government confirmed that the group had travelled from Hyderabad to Jeddah on 9 November. Of the 54 pilgrims who initially left India, some opted to remain in Mecca or travel separately to Medina, leaving 46 on the ill-fated bus.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow on X, calling the news “deeply saddening” and assuring that Indian officials in Saudi Arabia are providing full assistance. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah have set up control rooms to support grieving families and coordinate emergency responses.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has urged the central government to expedite the process of repatriating the victims’ bodies. Meanwhile, emotional scenes unfolded back home as families learned about the tragedy.
Mohammed Tehseen, a resident of Hyderabad, told ANI that seven of his relatives were on the bus. He received the news through a call from one survivor, Shoaib, who is currently hospitalised.
The accident has cast a pall of grief across Telangana as families await further updates from Saudi authorities.
