Medina horror: 18 members of one Hyderabad family among 42 Indian pilgrims dead in devastating bus crash
Returning after Umrah, families wiped out as bus collides with fuel tanker and catches fire; most victims were asleep and couldn’t escape
PTC Web Desk: A catastrophic road accident near Medina, Saudi Arabia, has wiped out nearly an entire Hyderabad-based family, leaving 18 of its members, including nine children, dead, as per a report published in NDTV. They were among the 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims who lost their lives when their bus collided with a diesel tanker late at night and caught fire instantly.
The grieving relatives back home said the family was scheduled to return to India on Saturday, their pilgrimage having been completed just days earlier.
Mohammed Asif said, “My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and all their children went for Umrah. They had left eight days ago. They completed the pilgrimage and were returning to Medina. At around 1.30 am, the accident happened… the bus burned completely. Eighteen members of our family, nine adults and nine children, are gone.”
Asif identified some of the victims as 70-year-old Naseeruddin, his wife Akhter Begum, 62; their son Salauddin, 42; daughters Amina, 44; Rizwana, 38; Shabana, 40; and several grandchildren.
As per the NDTV report, at their Ramnagar residence, relatives broke down as neighbours handed over the keys to a home that will now never welcome its family back. “My brother’s entire family has been wiped out,” cried Naseeruddin’s sister as she stepped inside.
According to reports from Saudi Arabia, the bus crashed into a diesel tanker about 30 km from Medina. Most passengers were fast asleep when the collision took place. The vehicle caught fire within moments, trapping many inside with no time to escape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow, saying, “I am deeply saddened by the incident. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance.”
Following the tragedy, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah set up a 24x7 control room and toll-free helpline: 8002440003.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also conveyed condolences and directed officials to coordinate with Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia to extend all necessary support.