NEW DELHI (AP) – A tragic incident occurred on Monday near the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia, where a bus carrying Indian pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker, leaving dozens feared dead. According to officials from India, the bus was transporting 46 people from Mecca to Medina along a highway when the accident took place.
Gaurav Uppal, a senior official from Telangana state, stated that approximately 45 individuals from Telangana are presumed dead, with one person reported injured. Uppal, who is currently in New Delhi, is actively involved in coordinating the rescue efforts with Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia.
As news of the incident broke, families of the victims gathered outside the office of the Fly Zone travel agency in Hyderabad, anxiously seeking information about their loved ones. The emotional atmosphere was palpable as relatives waited for updates on the fate of their family members who were on the ill-fated bus.
Saudi officials have not yet responded to requests for comment on the collision. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, and Revanth Reddy, the highest-elected official in Telangana, expressed their condolences to the grieving families affected by this tragedy.
In a post on X, Jaishankar mentioned that the Indian embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah are providing assistance to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the accident. This support aims to address the immediate needs of the families and facilitate the process of recovering the deceased.
One of the affected individuals, Mohammed Tehseen, reported that seven members of his family were aboard the bus, and tragically, all but one have died. The surviving passenger, who sustained injuries, managed to call after the accident to inform the family of the devastating news.
Vishwanath Channappa Sajjanar, the police chief of Telangana’s state capital, Hyderabad, revealed that initial reports indicate at least 18 of the deceased are from Hyderabad. Most of the victims belonged to two families, highlighting the communal nature of the tragedy. The injured passenger was identified as Mohammed Shoaib.
“I spoke to the Consul General of India and obtained the details,” Sajjanar said during a press conference. He also confirmed that there were 46 individuals aboard the bus, reiterating that only one passenger survived with injuries. The police are actively in contact with the travel agency responsible for organizing the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
This heartbreaking event underscores the risks faced by pilgrims traveling to holy sites and highlights the importance of safety measures during such journeys. The Indian community, along with authorities, continues to grapple with the aftermath of this tragic accident, mourning the loss of lives in a location that is so significant to their faith.
