Tragedy on Makkah–Madinah Route. Bus–Tanker Collision.1 Survivor Identified
Mohammed Naseer Giyas
At least 45 Indian nationals, all of them from Hyderabad, were killed early Monday when a bus carrying Umrah pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker on the Makkah–Madinah Highway. Only one survivor has been reported so far.
A bus transporting 46 Umrah pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah met with a devastating accident around 1:30 AM IST near Mufrihat, approximately 40 km from Madinah. According to initial briefings received by the Telangana government, 45 passengers died on the spot, while one man, identified as Mohammad Shoib, survived with injuries and was shifted to a hospital.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar confirmed that many of the deceased belonged to Hyderabad, several of them women and children. Local legislators Kauser Mohiuddin and Mohd. Majid Hussain visited the homes of affected families in Muradnagar, Jhirra Asifnagar and Moghul Colony to offer condolences. Majid Hussain told Raftaar-e-Deccan that he may travel to Madinah soon, following instructions from AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, to assist with coordination.
The Telangana government is reportedly arranging logistical support for Hyderabad-based families who wish to travel to Saudi Arabia. Kauser Mohiuddin stated that more than 20 of the victims were from the Karwan and Nampally areas, including multiple families who had travelled together for Umrah.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, currently in Delhi, has spoken with officials of the Indian Consulates in Riyadh and Jeddah and remains in contact with the Ministry of External Affairs.
National leaders — including the President, Vice President, and Prime Minister — also expressed grief over the tragedy.
Mohammed Naseer Giyas is a multi-media and bilingual journalist with over 20 years of experience across print, digital, and television media. Founder of Raftaar-e-Deccan, he is an alumnus of IVLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and ICFJ, and has worked with leading English and Urdu news organisations.
