45 Indian Pilgrims Killed In Bus Fire In Saudi Arabia

Forty-five Indian pilgrims were killed when the bus they were traveling in caught fire following an accident near the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia.

According to Mehr, Hyderabad Police Commissioner, VC Sajjanar, the bus was carrying 46 passengers. Only one man survived the crash and has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital.

Most of the victims were residents of Hyderabad in the Southern Indian state of Telangana.

A statement from the Telangana state Government said the pilgrims were on their way from the holy city of Mecca to Medina when the bus had a collision with a fuel tanker. The pilgrims have traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, a minor pilgrimage distinct from the annual Hajj.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences in a post on X, saying he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and that Indian officials were in close contact with Saudi authorities.

“Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance,” he wrote.

Additional reports said that control rooms have been established in Jeddah and Hyderabad to support the families of the victims.