A heartbreaking accident struck on a road in Saudi Arabia when a bus carrying Umrah pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker. The bus was traveling from Mecca to Madinah, and early on Monday, the crash occurred near a place called Mufrihat. Sadly, at least 42 Indian pilgrims from Telangana, mostly from Hyderabad, are reported to have died. Many others were also hurt.
Local Saudi emergency teams quickly rushed to the scene to rescue survivors, treat injured people, and recover from the wreck. But rescuers say the crash was very serious, and they are still working to figure out exactly how many people died and who they were.
In India, the news has shaken a lot of people. Telangana’s Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, expressed deep sorrow over the deaths. He asked officials to quickly identify the victims and confirmed that the state government is working closely with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Saudi Embassy. The Telangana Secretariat has also opened a special control room with helplines (79979 59754 and 99129 19545) so families can get information.
At the national level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences, saying he was “deeply saddened.” He shared that India’s Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are helping the affected families. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also said he was “deeply shocked” by the accident and promised full support to the victims and their families.
To further assist, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah has set up a round-the-clock control room. They are coordinating with Saudi authorities, local hospitals, and Umrah operators to support those who were traveling. Volunteers from the Indian community are also helping in various places.
MP Asaduddin Owaisi, representing Hyderabad, said he had talked to travel agencies to share the names of the pilgrims with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. He is pushing for more clarity while helping make sure families get updates.
This tragedy is a painful reminder of how precious life is, especially when people are on a spiritual journey. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the lost and the injured. May they find strength, and may those who survived recover soon.
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