At least 45 Indian pilgrims have been confirmed dead and another suffering severe injuries and needing medical intervention following a bus accident in Saudi Arabia.
The bus carrying 46 people was said to have collided with a tanker and thereafter caught fire causing the number of the dead casualties, leaving only a survivor who has been rushed to the hospital for intensive care.
The Indian government disclosed that the deceased were returning from the Islamic holy city of Mecca where they went for Umrah pilgrimage, a shorter version of Hajj, the biggest of such Islamic conventions.
Speaking on the mishap which happened near Medina on Monday, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said, ”We are very saddened by the news of the accident which claimed the lives of the religious members, many of them from Hyderabad in Telangana State,”
”Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all support, he added.”
Control rooms have been set up in Jeddah and Hyderabad to assist the families of the victims as relayed by Asaduddin Owaisi, who represents the India parliament.
Owaisi mentioned that the Indian government is fastening bringing back the bodies of the victims back to the country.
