SRINAGAR: Eighteen members of a single Hyderabad-based family, including nine children, were among 45 Indian pilgrims killed in a road accident near Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The family had been returning to Medina after performing Umrah and were scheduled to return to India on Saturday, NDTV reported.
Mohammed Asif, a relative, said the crash occurred around 1:30 am when the bus carrying his family collided with a diesel tanker approximately 30 km from Madinah. “My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters, and their children went for Umrah eight days ago. The Umrah was completed, and they were returning to Madinah. The bus was destroyed in the fire,” he told NDTV.
Asif confirmed that 18 members of his family—nine adults and nine children—were killed. He identified some of the victims as Naseeruddin (70), his wife Akhter Begum (62), their son Salauddin (42), daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), Shabana (40), and their children.
Relatives in Ramnagar were left devastated. “My brother’s entire family has been wiped out,” one relative said. Most of the victims were from Hyderabad. The accident occurred late at night when most passengers were asleep, preventing escape as the bus caught fire following the collision.
Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah has established a 24×7 control room and helpline to assist affected families. The toll-free number is 8002440003, the consulate stated on X.
