Jeddah (Saudi Arabia): The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has activated a 24×7 control room after a tragic bus accident late Sunday night involving a group of Umrah pilgrims travelling from Mecca to Madinah. The incident occurred near Madinah, and details on casualties are still awaited.
The consulate released a set of emergency contact numbers for families seeking information:
8002440003 (toll-free), 00966122614093, 00966126614276, and 00966556122301 (WhatsApp).
Officials urged relatives of the pilgrims to reach out immediately for assistance.
In a statement, the Indian Consulate conveyed its “deepest condolences to the bereaved families” and confirmed that both the Embassy in Riyadh and the Jeddah Consulate are in touch with the Saudi Haj and Umrah Ministry, local authorities, and the concerned Umrah operators.
A team of consulate staff and Indian community volunteers has been deployed across hospitals and affected sites to support ongoing coordination efforts. Officials said they are also working closely with Telangana authorities to help families of the victims.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he was “deeply shocked” by the tragedy and assured that Indian missions in Saudi Arabia are providing “fullest support” to those affected.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also expressed concern after preliminary reports suggested that several pilgrims on board were from Hyderabad. He instructed state officials to maintain constant contact with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and collect accurate details of passengers from Telangana.
Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari has alerted Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal in New Delhi to gather passenger information and ensure timely assistance. A dedicated control room has been activated at the state Secretariat to monitor developments.
Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also expressed grief and urged the Centre to ensure that the bodies are brought back to India. He said he spoke to Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and shared details from two Hyderabad-based travel agencies to help authorities identify the passengers.
Owaisi informed that 42 people were on the bus, and local reports indicate the vehicle collided while travelling from Mecca to Madinah. Further updates on casualties and survivors are expected from Saudi authorities.
