In a deeply tragic incident that has shaken families across India, especially in Telangana, at least 45 Umrah pilgrims — many of them Indians — lost their lives after a passenger bus collided with a diesel tanker near Medina, Saudi Arabia, in the early hours of Monday. The bus, carrying pilgrims returning from Mecca after completing Umrah, burst into flames following the collision, leaving almost no time for passengers—many of whom were asleep—to escape.

Responding to the harrowing news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed profound grief and assured full support to affected families.
“Deeply saddened by the accident in Medina involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance,” PM Modi wrote, adding that Indian officials were in constant touch with Saudi authorities overseeing rescue efforts.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar echoed the sentiment, calling the tragedy “deeply shocking.”
“Our missions in Riyadh and Jeddah are giving fullest support to affected families. My sincere condolences to the bereaved,” he posted on X.

Back home, the impact of the tragedy has sent shockwaves through Hyderabad, as many of the victims are believed to be from the city. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy immediately reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs, instructing officials to maintain continuous coordination with the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia for real-time updates.

The accident occurred around 1:30 am, when the bus — carrying 46 passengers — collided with a fuel tanker, leading to an inferno that engulfed the vehicle within moments. Preliminary information indicates that 20 women and 11 children from Hyderabad are among the dead.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, monitoring the situation closely, confirmed:
“There were 46 people on board. Only one survivor is currently under treatment. More details are awaited.”