Saudi bus accident: 18 Indian Umrah pilgrims from one family killed, three generations lost

Eighteen members of a single family from Hyderabad — including nine children — were among the 45 Indian Umrah pilgrims killed in a devastating road accident near Madinah, relatives told local media. A second family from the city also lost five members in the same crash.

According to relatives, Shaik Naseeruddin and his wife, Akhter Begum, residents of Ramnagar in Musheerabad, left Hyderabad with one of their sons, two daughters and a daughter-in-law to perform Umrah. The family had reportedly been looking forward to the pilgrimage for weeks.

The bus, carrying around 46 pilgrims, collided with an oil tanker at around 1.30am (IST). The Indian mission in Jeddah said it has set up a control room to coordinate assistance following the fire that engulfed the vehicle after the crash.

Relatives told NDTV the family had planned to return to Hyderabad on Saturday. But the bus caught fire moments after the collision, giving passengers little time to escape.

At the Hajj House in Nampally, families waited anxiously for confirmation, clutching photographs and documents. Syed, speaking to The Hindu, said: “In a single night, my entire family is gone.”

“My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, their son, three daughters and their children went for Umrah… they were returning to Madinah when the accident happened,” Mohammed Asif told NDTV.

He identified several of the victims as Naseeruddin (70), his wife Akhter Begum (62), their son Salauddin (42), and daughters Amina (44), Rizwana (38) and Shabana (40), along with their children.

“We were in touch with them until shortly before the tragedy. Eighteen members — nine adults and nine children — have died,” Asif said.

Another relative, 35-year-old Syed Rashid, told The Hindu that he had urged the family not to travel as a group. Rashid lost 18 relatives, including his parents, brother, sister-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins.

“When I saw them off at the airport on 9 November, I never imagined it would be for the last time. I told them not to take all the children. At least some of them would have survived,” he said.

His parents — 65-year-old retired railway employee Shaik Naseeruddin and 60-year-old Akhter Begum — were among those killed. The loss spanned three generations, including relatives who had flown in from the United States.

At the family’s home in Ramnagar, relatives gathered in shock as a neighbour brought the house keys. Loud wails filled the rooms when Naseeruddin’s sister entered and cried, “My brother’s entire family has been wiped out.”

According to preliminary reports, 42 pilgrims were killed, most of them from Hyderabad. Identification is proving difficult as several victims suffered severe burns.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and confirmed that Indian officials in Riyadh and Jeddah were providing all possible assistance.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar indicated the toll may be at least 45, though Saudi authorities have not yet released an official figure. The Telangana Hajj Committee said 10 children were among the dead.

The group of 54 pilgrims left Hyderabad for Jeddah on 9 November. While 46 boarded the ill-fated bus, others travelled by car or remained in Makkah.

Only one passenger survived: 24-year-old Mohd Abdul Shoiab from Hyderabad, who smashed a window and jumped out before the bus was engulfed in flames.

Several Hyderabad residents with relatives on the bus said they received disturbing images from the crash site.
Mohammad Salman, whose six family members were aboard, said his last call suggested they were two hours from Madina before communication suddenly stopped.

The Indian Consulate in Jeddah has opened a 24×7 helpline. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed his condolences and asked officials to coordinate closely with the mission.

The Telangana government announced that Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin will travel to Saudi Arabia to assist with relief operations. Two relatives of each victim will be flown to the Kingdom, and an ex-gratia of ₹500,000 will be given to families of the deceased. Bodies will be buried in Saudi Arabia according to religious customs.

Azharuddin said initial reports suggest the toll could reach 47–48, with many victims “charred beyond recognition”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, and several state leaders, including Telangana’s A. Revanth Reddy and Andhra Pradesh’s N. Chandrababu Naidu, expressed condolences.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged close coordination with Saudi authorities to support affected families.

The tragedy has plunged Hyderabad into grief as families await confirmation, identification and closure—while demanding accountability for a pilgrimage that ended in a catastrophic, all-consuming fire.