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Eighteen members of a single family from Hyderabad, including nine children, were among the 42 people who lost their lives in the horrific road accident near Madina in Saudi Arabia.
Struggling to withhold his tears, Mohammed Asif, a resident of Ramnagar, in his trembling voice said that his father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, wife and his children had died in the accident. Asif reportedly has three children, all of them dead while on the Umrah pilgrimage in the tragic accident on November 17.
“They went to the Umrah last Sunday. I spoke to them last night while they were enroute Madina in the bus,” Asif said recalling his last conversation with the family members.
Asif has appealed to the Telangana government to help him travel to Saudi Arabia so he can perform the final rites for his loved ones.
According to reports, Asif identified some of his relatives as Naseeruddin (70), his wife Akhter Begum (62), their son Salauddin (42), daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38), and Shabana (40), and their grandchildren.
The tragic accident occurred 25 km away from Madina.The bus ferrying passengers, most of them belonging to Hyderabad, collided with a diesel tanker and went up in flames. The accident is reported to have occurred around 11.30 pm local time.
Responding to the tragic incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and offered prayers for the injured. He added that Indian officials in Riyadh and Jeddah were coordinating closely with Saudi authorities.
The Indian Consulate in Jeddah has set up a 24×7 control room and helpline (Toll-free: 8002440003) for assistance.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed officials to stay in constant touch with the Indian consulate. “The government stands with the bereaved families,” he said, praying for strength to those whose lives have been shattered by the tragedy.
The state government also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of victims of the bus accident.