Man from Karnataka's Hubbali feared dead in Saudi bus accident, kin to fly abroad for identification

Hubbali: The family of a man hailing from Hubbali city has claimed that he may have been among those killed in the Saudi Arabia bus tragedy, officials said on Monday.

The tragic road accident left over 40 Indian Umrah pilgrims dead.

Abdulgani Shirahatti (52) from Ganeshpet in Hubballi is suspected to have been killed in the tragic incident when the bus in which they were traveling caught fire near Madina in Saudi Arabia, his kin said.

Grief gripped the family members following the incident.

The family members of Shirahatti said that he was working as a driver in a hotel in Abu Dhabi. Along with some friends from Hyderabad, he was heading to Madina from Mecca.

He reportedly made a phone call to his family members in Hubballi on Sunday night around 1:00 am and informed them about his trip and shared video clippings too. He was supposed to return to Hubballi after the Umrah.

Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu GRJ said the family members of Shirahatti claimed that his phone number has been switched off, leading them to suspect his death.

However, the district administration has not received any official communication in this regard, she said.

"We are in touch with the family members and the Ministry of External Affairs,” she added.

Hubballi-Dharwad East MLA Prasad Abbayya, Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar and several leaders visited the family members to console them.

Abbayya told DH that he spoke to Waqf and Minority Welfare Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, and they have made all facilities for three family members to travel to Saudi Arabia to take part in the funeral rites. Three members from the family were sent to Bengaluru on Monday night, from where they will fly to Saudi Arabia. The minister has made VISA and all other required arrangements for them. Shirahatti's kin Moulali, Umar Faruk and Musharaf have left for Bengaluru.