Riyadh: Tragedy unfolded in the wee hours of Monday, November 17, after a bus carrying Indian Umrah pilgrims caught fire after colliding with a diesel tanker. A disturbing video showing the bus burning after a collision surfaced online.
In the video, the bus with Indian pilgrims onboard could be seen bursting into flames. The identity of the victims is yet to be ascertained. According to reports, most of the pilgrims travelling in the bus were from Telangana's capital, Hyderabad. The incident took place at around 1:30 am IST on Monday. The bus was reportedly travelling from Mecca to Madinah.
Visuals Of Bus Catching Fire:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy. "Deeply saddened by the accident in Medinah involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities," the Prime Minister said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed deep shock over the accident. "Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are giving the fullest support to Indian nationals and families affected by this accident," he said. "Sincere condolences to the bereaved families. Pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Jaishankar added.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued helpline numbers for the relatives of the victims. The helpline numbers issued by the embassy are - 8002440003 (toll free), 0122614093, 0126614276, and 0556122301 (WhatsApp).
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed grief over a bus accident in Saudi Arabia involving Indian pilgrims. The Telangana government said it is in contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh after local media reported that Indian Umrah pilgrims were killed in the accident. The state government also released helpline numbers for the relatives of the victims. These helpline numbers are - +91 79979 59754 and +91 99129 19545.
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