42 Indian Umrah Pilgrims feared dead in Saudi Arabia bus inferno on Mecca-Medina highway

Several Telangana residents, including women and children, were on board when the pilgrim bus crashed into a diesel tanker near Mufarrehat early Monday.

A devastating road accident in Saudi Arabia early Monday has left 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims feared dead after a bus travelling from Mecca to Medina collided with a diesel tanker near Mufarrehat, triggering a massive fire. The crash occurred around 1:30 am IST, when most passengers were believed to be asleep, leaving them with little chance to escape.

According to early reports, the passengers included women and children, with several families from Hyderabad and different parts of Telangana on board. Sources indicate that around 20 women and 11 children were among those travelling in the bus. Local reports say the victims had completed their religious rituals in Mecca and were on their way to Medina.

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The Saudi emergency response teams arrived at the accident site shortly after the fire broke out. Officials fear that the intense flames, caused by the tanker collision, may have resulted in casualties far higher than initial estimates.

The tragedy has prompted immediate response from authorities in India. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock and directed Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao and DGP B. Shivdhar Reddy to gather complete details and ascertain how many passengers from Telangana were affected. He also instructed them to coordinate with the Union Ministry of External Affairs and officials at the Saudi Embassy to ensure swift support for the victims' families.

Following these directions, the Chief Secretary alerted Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal in Delhi to collect and share verified information from central agencies. The Telangana Government has set up an emergency control room at the Secretariat with helpline numbers 79979 59754 and 99129 19545 to assist families.

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In New Delhi, a separate control room has been activated at Telangana Bhavan, with senior officials staying in direct contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. The officers handling coordination include Vandhana (98719 99044), C.H. Chakravarthi (99583 22143), and Rakshith Nail (96437 23157).

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah has set up a 24x7 control room, reachable through the toll-free number 8002440003, for families seeking information about their relatives.
Authorities continue efforts to confirm the exact number of casualties and identify the victims.