At least 45 people, most of them Umrah pilgrims from Telangana capital Hyderabad, were killed after a bus collided with an oil tanker in Saudi Arabia’s Medina. Many leaders including PM Narendra Modi have expressed grief over this horrific accident.
Citing preliminary information, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar put the death toll at 45 and said a total of 54 people from the city had recently left for pilgrimage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh A Revanth Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu respectively expressed condolence over the deaths. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and the Congress party also expressed grief over the incident.
It is being told that the bus collided with an oil tanker at around 1:30 am (IST).
Addressing journalists in Hyderabad, Sajjanar said that 54 people had gone to Jeddah from here on November 9. He was to return on 23 November. Four of the 54 people went to Madinah in separate cars on Sunday, while the other four stayed in Mecca.
According to the official, there were 46 people on board the bus, which collided with an oil tanker about 25 kilometers from Medina. Only one person survived the accident and is undergoing treatment in the hospital.
He said, “We are getting information that 45 people have been killed. They were to return to Hyderabad on November 23.”
Prime Minister Modi expressed condolences on the dead. “Deeply saddened by the accident that happened to Indian citizens in Madinah. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” Modi said in a post on Twitter.
The Prime Minister said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance and officials are also in close touch with Saudi Arabian authorities.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed grief over the incident.
Jaishankar said, “Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing full assistance to Indian citizens and families affected by this accident. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the Center to coordinate with state authorities to provide assistance to the families of the deceased.
“Deeply saddened by the heartbreaking tragedy that occurred near Medina, Saudi Arabia, in which several Indian nationals were involved. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said in a post on Twitter.
“We have received information that more than 40 people have died in the accident and we are contacting the families,” said Majeed Hussain, AIMIM MLA in Hyderabad.
Following the accident, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah announced that a 24×7 control room has been activated to assist relatives and coordinate emergency response.
“In view of the tragic bus accident involving Indian Umrah pilgrims near Madinah, Saudi Arabia, a 24×7 control room has been set up at the Consulate General of India, Jeddah,” the Consulate posted.
Officials said they are in constant touch with Saudi authorities for information on casualties, injured passengers and those hospitalized.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also expressed grief over the incident, as reports revealed that many of the victims were from Hyderabad.
According to an official statement, the Chief Minister has contacted officials in New Delhi and directed them to closely coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for updated information.
Telangana Chief Secretary A. Shanti Kumari informed Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal in New Delhi and directed him to immediately collect information as to how many passengers from Telangana were on board the bus and ensure timely assistance. A control room has also been activated in the state secretariat to monitor the situation.
Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also expressed grief over the accident in Saudi Arabia and urged the Center to bring back the bodies.
Owaisi told ANI that he has spoken to Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and also contacted two Hyderabad-based travel agencies and shared details of the passengers with the Riyadh Embassy and the Foreign Secretary.
He said that 42 people were traveling in the bus involved in the accident. According to local reports, the bus was traveling from Mecca to Medina when the accident occurred. Details of casualties and survivors are awaited.
AIMIM, in a post on Twitter, said it has urged Jaishankar to help in bringing back the bodies of the dead and providing treatment to the injured.