At least 42 pilgrims are feared dead after their bus collided with a diesel tanker near Medina in Saudi Arabia. The accident happened early Monday. The bus was travelling from Mecca to Medina when it crashed and caught fire.

Officials believe many passengers were Indian nationals from Hyderabad. They are still confirming the details.

Telangana CM Seeks Full Report

The Telangana Chief Minister’s Office said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the accident involving Indian pilgrims. He immediately asked the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to collect full information.

The CMO said he asked them to confirm how many victims were from Telangana. He also told them to speak with officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy. He directed them to step in quickly and provide relief if required.

Owaisi Contacts Embassy, Seeks Support

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said a bus carrying Indian Umrah pilgrims had met with a serious accident. He said he contacted Hyderabad-based travel agencies and shared passenger details with the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

“Forty-two Hajj pilgrims who were travelling from Mecca to Medina were on a bus that caught fire… I spoke to Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and he assured me that they are gathering information about the matter," Owaisi said.

He added that he had sent passenger details to the Riyadh Embassy and the Foreign Secretary. He urged the Union Government and EAM Dr S. Jaishankar to bring the bodies back to India and ensure proper treatment for any survivors.

Scene of the Accident

Gulf News reported that the crash happened around 1:30 am Indian time near Muhras or Mufrihat, about 160 km from Medina. The bus reportedly caught fire after the collision.

Telangana Sets Up Control Room

The Telangana government set up a control room at the state secretariat to help families of the victims.

Families can contact the control room at:
+91 79979 59754
+91 99129 19545