45 Indians travelling from Mecca to Medina died: Bus going for Umrah collided with a diesel tanker and burned.

Forty-five Indians were killed in a road accident in Saudi Arabia late Monday night. Their bus, traveling from Mecca to Medina, collided with a diesel tanker and caught fire. The deceased included 18 women, 17 men, and 10 children. According to reports, only the bus driver survived the accident.

According to Hyderabad police, 54 people traveled from Hyderabad to Saudi Arabia on November 9th and were scheduled to return on November 23rd. Four of them traveled separately to Medina by car on Sunday, while four others stayed in Mecca. The bus that crashed was carrying 46 people.

Most of the deceased are believed to be from Hyderabad. The accident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) near Muhras, about 25 kilometers from Medina. Many passengers were sleeping at the time and had no chance of survival.

The Telangana government has stated that it is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. A statement issued by the state government stated that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials in Delhi to coordinate closely with the embassy to assist in the identification of the victims and other formalities.

Names of 12 deceased revealed

Twelve Indian victims have been identified among those killed in the accident. They include Abdul Mohammed, Mohammed Maulana, Sohail Mohammed, Mastan Mohammed, Parveen Begum, Zakia Begum, Shaukat Begum, Farheen Begum, Zaheen Begum, Mohammed Manzoor, Mohammed Ali, and Gausia Begum.

Indian Embassy releases helpline number

The Indian Embassy in Jeddah has released a helpline. "In light of the tragic bus accident involving Indian Umrah pilgrims near Medina, Saudi Arabia, a 24x7 control room has been set up at the Indian Consulate General in Jeddah. The helpline contact details are 8002440003," the embassy said.

Following the incident, the Telangana government set up a control room at the Secretariat so that families can seek information about their loved ones. Family members can contact the following numbers: 79979-59754 and 99129-19545.

Owaisi appeals for repatriation of bodies to India

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi expressed grief over the bus accident involving Indian Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. Speaking to news agency ANI over the phone, Owaisi said he had contacted two travel agencies in Hyderabad and shared the passengers' information with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh.

He also spoke with Abu Mathan George, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. George informed him that information was being gathered from local authorities and an update would be provided soon. Owaisi said:

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I appeal to the central government, especially External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, to bring the bodies back to India as soon as possible and provide necessary medical treatment to the injured.

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PM Modi said - providing all possible assistance to the victims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the Saudi bus accident on Monday. In a post, Modi said that the Consulate General in Riyadh is providing all possible assistance.

The Prime Minister said on X, "I am deeply saddened by the accident involving Indian citizens in Medina. My condolences are with the families who lost their loved ones. Our officials are in touch with the Saudi Arabian authorities."

Foreign Minister said - deeply shocked by the accident

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar expressed grief over the accident in Saudi Arabia. Jaishankar said, "The accident involving Indian citizens in Medina has deeply shocked us. Our Embassy in Riyadh is providing all possible assistance to the Indian citizens and their families affected by the accident."