18 of Hyderabad-based family killed in Saudi bus tragedy; Telangana govt to send team for relief efforts

In a tragic incident, 18 members of a family died in a bus-truck collision on Monday near Medina in Saudi Arabia, media reports said. The Hyderabad-based family, including nine children, had gone to the Umrah pilgrimage and were among the 45 victims that died in the road accident.

Telangana Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin addressed a press conference, sharing key updates on the incident. Condoling the deaths, he said the state government has decided to conduct the funeral of the deceased as per religious traditions in Saudi Arabia and to provide ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the kin of those who died.

The Telangana government has also decided to depute a team, led by Mohammad Azharuddin, to Saudi Arabia to coordinate relief efforts.

The team, to be led by Azharuddin, would comprise an MLA of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM and an official of the minorities welfare department, an official release said.

Citing preliminary information, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar put the toll at 45, saying a total of 54 persons from the city had left for the pilgrimage recently.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, A Revanth Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu, respectively, condoled the deaths. Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin and the Congress party also expressed anguish over the incident.

The bus reportedly collided with an oil tanker at around 1:30 am (IST).

Addressing reporters in Hyderabad, Sajjanar said 54 people travelled to Jeddah from here on November 9. They were scheduled to return on November 23.

(With PTI inputs)