Hyderabad, Nov 17: The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has set up a control room in view of the bus accident near Madina, involving Indian Umrah pilgrims. “In view of a tragic bus accident near Madina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgirms, a 24×7 Control Room has been set up in Consulate General of India, Jeddah.
The contact details of the Helpline are as under: 8002440003 (Toll free) 0122614093 0126614276 0556122301 (WhatsApp),” reads a post from the Consulate General on ‘X’. The Telangana government has also set up a control room at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi. Senior officials at Telangana Bhavan are in direct contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Efforts are underway to ascertain the full details of the accident and confirm how many individuals from Telangana were involved. Control Room Contact Numbers at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi: Vandhana, PS to Resident Commissioner and Liaison Head: +91 98719 99044 CH. Chakravarthi, Public Relations Officer: +91 99583 22143 Rakshith Nail, Liaison Officer: +91 96437 23157 Senior officials of the Telangana government were in touch with the Indian embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah to gather details about the Umrah pilgrims who died in a road accident near Madina early Monday. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the officials spoke to the Consulate General in Jeddah and the Deputy Ambassador in Riyadh and sought complete information on whether there are any pilgrims from Telangana among the victims, and if so, how many.
They instructed the Resident Commissioner and Coordination Secretary in Delhi to coordinate with the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and provide complete details. According to unconfirmed media reports, at least 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims are feared dead after a passenger bus travelling from Mecca to Madina collided with a diesel tanker early Monday. The incident occurred around 1.30 a.m. IST at a location identified as Mufrihat. The victims, including women and children, were reported from Hyderabad. The group was returning from Mecca after completing their rituals and was en route to Madina at the time of the accident. The Telangana government has also set up a control room in the Secretariat at Hyderabad to provide appropriate information and assistance to the families of the bus accident victims. The telephone numbers of the control room are: +91 79979 59754 and +91 99129 19545 Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said he spoke to the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, who informed him that they were gathering details. The MP also contacted two Hyderabad-based travel agencies and shared the passengers’ details with the Riyadh Embassy and the Foreign Secretary.
Deeply shocked, says Azharuddin on bus accident in Saudi Arabia
Telangana’s Minister for Minorities Welfare Mohammed Azharuddin on Monday expressed deep shock over the accident involving a bus carrying Indian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. “Deeply shocked by the tragic accident involving a bus carrying Indian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. My heartfelt prayers are with all those affected, especially the families from Hyderabad who were part of this unfortunate incident,” Azharuddin said in a post on X.
The minister said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took immediate action, directing officials to gather complete details and coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy to ensure all necessary support and relief measures are provided without delay. “A dedicated control room has been set up to assist families and monitor the situation closely: 79979 59754; 99129 19545. We stand with the families during this difficult time and will extend every possible support through the Minority Welfare Department, Govt of Telangana,” Azharuddin added. Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao expressed shock over the accident. “The death of several pilgrims from Hyderabad in a horrific bus accident in Saudi Arabia is deeply saddening. We express our deepest condolences to their families,” he said. The former minister said the state government should take immediate steps to provide better treatment to those injured in the incident where a bus collided with a diesel tanker while travelling from Mecca to Medina.
In the wake of information that most of the deceased are Hyderabadis, the state government should coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and intensify relief efforts, KTR said. “Deeply saddened by the tragic bus accident in Saudi Arabia that claimed the lives of 42 Umrah pilgrims, including many from Telangana. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I urge the Telangana Government and the Government of India to extend all possible support to the victims’ families and ensure that they receive proper assistance,” posted another BRS leader, T. Harish Rao. “Shocked to learn that at least 42 Indian Umrah pilgrims, several from Hyderabad, are feared dead after their bus from Mecca to Madina collided with a diesel tanker,” wrote Telangana Jagruthi leader K. Kavitha. She urged the Union Government, especially External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, to immediately coordinate with Saudi authorities, ensure all possible assistance and extend support to the victims’ families.