Saudi Arabia bus crash kills 45: Abu Dhabi-based driver of 25 years among victims

A man from Karnataka, who had been working in the UAE, was among the 45 Indian pilgrims killed in a devastating bus accident near Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Abdul Ghani Shirhatti had worked as a driver in Abu Dhabi for 25 years, his younger brother, Faruque Shirhatti, confirmed on Monday evening.

Shirahatti, who was employed as a hotel driver in Abu Dhabi, was travelling with friends from Hyderabad from Makkah to Madinah for Umrah.

Faruque told ANI that his elder brother had left for Saudi Arabia on November 9 to perform the pilgrimage.

“My brother had been working as a driver in Abu Dhabi for the last 25 years. He went for Umrah on November 9… When their bus left for Madinah, a petrol tanker hit the bus, and around 45 people lost their lives, including my elder brother,” he said.

“He called us on Sunday night around 1:00 am to update us about his trip and even shared video clips. He was supposed to return to Hubballi after completing Umrah,” the family told Deccan Chronicle.

Family fears after communication cut

Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu GRJ said the family began to fear Shirhatti’s death after his phone went unanswered.

“We are in touch with the family members and the Ministry of External Affairs,” she added, noting that the district administration has not yet received any official confirmation.

Local leaders step in to support family

Hubballi-Dharwad East MLA Prasad Abbayya, Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, and other local leaders visited the family to offer condolences.

Abbayya told Deccan Chronicle: “I spoke to Waqf and Minority Welfare Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, and arrangements have been made for three family members to travel to Saudi Arabia to take part in the funeral rites.”

Three family members—Moulali, Umar Faruk, and Musharaf—were sent to Bengaluru on Monday night, from where they will fly to Saudi Arabia. The minister has facilitated their visas and all other necessary arrangements. The family awaits further details and the repatriation of his body.

India opens assistance office in Madinah

The Indian Consulate General in Jeddah has set up a camp office at the Indian Haj Pilgrims Office in Madinah to assist families of the victims. The office is located in Room No. 104, First Floor, Saroor Taiba Al-Dahbiya Hotel, Al Masani, Madinah, according to a post by the Consulate on X.

Indian Consulate opens assistance office in Madinah

The Indian Consulate General in Jeddah has set up a camp office at the Indian Haj Pilgrims Office in Madinah to assist families of the victims. The office is located in Room No. 104, First Floor, Saroor Taiba Al-Dahbiya Hotel, Al Masani, Madinah, according to a post by the Consulate on X.

Telangana govt delegation rushes to Saudi Arabia

A Telangana government delegation led by Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin left for Saudi Arabia on Monday night to provide assistance to the families. The delegation includes AIMIM MLA Majid Hussain and Secretary of the Minorities Welfare Department, B. Shafiullah.

The team will coordinate with Indian embassy officials and Saudi authorities to help the families of the deceased. The Telangana Cabinet also decided to pay Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the families of all victims.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy directed the Chief Secretary and DGP to liaise with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and Saudi authorities to verify details and coordinate relief.

Helplines activated for families

To assist families and ensure uninterrupted communication, helplines have been activated in Hyderabad and New Delhi. Telangana Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, Dr Shashank Goel, chaired an emergency review meeting at Telangana Bhavan. A dedicated liaison officer has been deputed to the MEA office for 24/7 coordination.

Emergency contact numbers shared for assistance include: 8002440003 (Toll-free), 0122614093, 0126614276, and 0556122301 (WhatsApp).

With inputs from ANI