A pre-dawn tragedy struck Indian Umrah pilgrims on Monday when a bus travelling from Mecca to Madinah went up in flames after colliding with a diesel tanker in Saudi Arabia, killing 42 Indians from Telangana along with two Saudi facilitators. Families across Hyderabad are shattered, with only one passenger pulled out alive from the inferno, 24-year-old Md Abdul Shoeb, whose split-second decision saved his life.
Shoeb had shifted to the seat beside the driver after failing to sleep. Moments later, around 1.30 am (IST), the bus crashed into a tanker at Mufrihat, nearly 160 km from Madinah. The impact triggered an explosion, and within minutes, the vehicle was engulfed. Shoeb and the driver managed to jump out through the window seconds before fire swallowed the bus. His escape came at a devastating personal cost as he lost his parents, grandfather and three members of his uncle’s family in the tragedy.
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A split-second decision that saved one life
Officials described it as one of the deadliest accidents involving Indian pilgrims in recent years. Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences. The Telangana government announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the victims’ families.
People familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times that 44 deaths were confirmed out of which 42 were Indian nationals and two Saudi facilitators. All 42 Indians were from Telangana. Their remains were shifted to King Fahad Hospital, King Salman Hospital and Al Miqat Hospital in Madinah.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said the crash left almost no time for passengers to escape as the fire spread instantly after the collision. The group of 54 pilgrims had left Hyderabad on November 9, completed Umrah in Mecca and were on their way to Madinah when the accident occurred.
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Among the many families devastated is that of 35-year-old Syed Rashid, who lost 18 relatives including his parents, brother, sister-in-law, their children and other family members who embarked on the pilgrimage together. “I had told them not to travel together, especially with children,” Rashid said. “I never imagined that I was seeing them for the last time.”
Authorities in Saudi Arabia and India are coordinating on identification and repatriation procedures as families await the return of their loved ones.
