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What is the story about?
A late-night road accident near Medina left 42 Umrah pilgrims from India dead. Among them were 18 members of a single family from Hyderabad, turning what was meant to be a spiritual journey into an unimaginable tragedy. According to relatives who spoke to NDTV, the Hyderabad-based family had completed their Umrah and were scheduled to return to India on Saturday.
The group left eight days earlier for the pilgrimage, NDTV reported. Mohammed Asif, a relative, said they had all finished Umrah and were travelling back towards Medina when disaster struck shortly after midnight.
“My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and their children went (for Umrah). They left eight days ago… Around 1.30 am, the accident occurred, and the bus was destroyed in the fire. They were supposed to return on Saturday.”
The accident occurred when the bus carrying Indian pilgrims reportedly collided with a diesel tanker about 30 km from Medina. Most passengers were asleep, leaving them little chance to escape before the vehicle caught fire.
Asif identified several members of his extended family who died, including Naseeruddin (70), Akhter Begum (62), their son Salauddin (42), and daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), and Shabana (40), along with their children. At the family’s home in Ramnagar, grief engulfed the neighbourhood as relatives gathered, many unable to comprehend the scale of the loss.
“My brother’s entire family has been wiped out,” Naseeruddin’s sister cried as she entered the now-locked house. Most of the deceased were from Hyderabad, and officials said efforts were underway to coordinate with Saudi authorities for identification and further procedures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the accident. In a post on X, he wrote, "Deeply saddened by the bus accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, which claimed 42 Indian lives. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities."
In Jeddah, the Indian Consulate set up a 24×7 control room to assist families. The consulate’s post on X stated, “In view of a tragic bus accident near Medina, 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.”
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also condoled the deaths and directed state officials to coordinate with the consulate.
His post on X read: “The government will stand by the affected families. I pray that they remain strong. Senior officials at Telangana Bhavan are in continuous contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to obtain accurate and up-to-date information regarding the accident.”
Authorities on both sides are continuing to work on identification, support, and assistance for the families shattered by the disaster.
The group left eight days earlier for the pilgrimage, NDTV reported. Mohammed Asif, a relative, said they had all finished Umrah and were travelling back towards Medina when disaster struck shortly after midnight.
“My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and their children went (for Umrah). They left eight days ago… Around 1.30 am, the accident occurred, and the bus was destroyed in the fire. They were supposed to return on Saturday.”
The accident occurred when the bus carrying Indian pilgrims reportedly collided with a diesel tanker about 30 km from Medina. Most passengers were asleep, leaving them little chance to escape before the vehicle caught fire.
Asif identified several members of his extended family who died, including Naseeruddin (70), Akhter Begum (62), their son Salauddin (42), and daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), and Shabana (40), along with their children. At the family’s home in Ramnagar, grief engulfed the neighbourhood as relatives gathered, many unable to comprehend the scale of the loss.
“My brother’s entire family has been wiped out,” Naseeruddin’s sister cried as she entered the now-locked house. Most of the deceased were from Hyderabad, and officials said efforts were underway to coordinate with Saudi authorities for identification and further procedures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the accident. In a post on X, he wrote, "Deeply saddened by the bus accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, which claimed 42 Indian lives. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities."
Deeply saddened by the accident in Medinah involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 17, 2025
In Jeddah, the Indian Consulate set up a 24×7 control room to assist families. The consulate’s post on X stated, “In view of a tragic bus accident near Medina, 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.”
In view of a tragic bus accident near Madina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgirms, a 24x7 Control Room has been set up in Consulate General of India, Jeddah.
The contact details of the Helpline are as under:
8002440003 (Toll free)
0122614093
0126614276
0556122301…
— India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) November 17, 2025
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also condoled the deaths and directed state officials to coordinate with the consulate.
His post on X read: “The government will stand by the affected families. I pray that they remain strong. Senior officials at Telangana Bhavan are in continuous contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to obtain accurate and up-to-date information regarding the accident.”
The Government of Telangana expresses deep sorrow over the
tragic bus accident in Saudi Arabia involving Indian pilgrims travelling from Makkah to Madinah. Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri @revanth_anumula has directed senior officials to obtain complete details and coordinate with… https://t.co/c7Ur2CYE7o
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) November 17, 2025
Authorities on both sides are continuing to work on identification, support, and assistance for the families shattered by the disaster.
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