At least 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims were killed after a passenger bus carrying devotees collided with a diesel tanker near Madinah on Monday. The bus was carrying Indian Umrah pilgrims from Mecca to Madinah, and the accident took place at around 1:30 am on Monday. As per the initial reports, most of the pilgrims were from Hyderabad.
The pilgrims were returning to Medina after completing their holy rituals in Mecca. All passengers were fast asleep at the time of the accident. 20 women and 11 children from Hyderabad are reported to be among the deceased. Rescue operations are underway, and local residents have reached the scene to help those seriously injured in the collision.
Indian Embassy releases helpline number
The Indian Embassy in Jeddah has set up a 24/7 control room and has released a helpline number. "In view of a tragic bus accident near Madina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgrims, a 24x7 Control Room has been set up in the Consulate General of India, Jeddah. The contact details of the Helpline are as under: Toll free number- 8002440003," it said in an X post.
CM Reddy expresses shock
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has expressed shock over the bus accident in Saudi Arabia involving Indian pilgrims from Hyderabad. The Chief Minister immediately ordered the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to find out the full details and determine how many Telangana residents were affected.
According to the Telangana CMO, he advised them to speak with officials from the Central Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy. "He ordered that, if necessary, they should immediately enter the field to provide appropriate relief efforts. "With the CM's orders, CS Ramakrishna Rao alerted the Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal, who is in Delhi. He ordered to collect details on how many people belonging to our state are in the accident and provide them immediately. A control room was set up in the Secretariat," the statement reads.
