The Telangana government has announced ₹5 lakh ex gratia for each victim’s family. Meanwhile, identification procedures continue in coordination with Saudi authorities
The 45 Indian Umrah pilgrims who died in the horrific bus–tanker collision on the Mecca–Medina Highway will be buried in Saudi Arabia, in line with the kingdom’s legal procedures. The crash, which took place late Sunday near Muhras, around 25 km from Medina, involved a fuel tanker ramming into a parked bus carrying pilgrims from Hyderabad. The force of the impact and ensuing fire left only one survivor — 24-year-old Mohammed Abdul Shoaib.
Authorities identified the victims as 18 women, 17 men, and 10 children, including nine members of a single extended family. The pilgrims were en route to the holy cities when tragedy struck. Many were asleep when the tanker hit the vehicle, leaving them little chance to escape the flames.
The Telangana Cabinet announced that the deceased will be buried in Saudi Arabia, a decision largely guided by local regulations. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah mandates that Umrah pilgrims sign a declaration acknowledging that, in the event of death, burial will take place within the kingdom. Transporting bodies out of Saudi Arabia typically involves complex legal procedures and is rarely approved unless exceptional circumstances apply.
The tragedy has sparked renewed calls for stricter safety protocols for pilgrim transport and better oversight of vehicles operating along high-risk stretches between Mecca and Medina
Two relatives of each victim will be flown to Saudi Arabia to attend the burials. While some families initially hoped for repatriation or burial in Medina’s historic Jannatul Baqi cemetery, officials clarified that such options are not currently feasible under Saudi protocols.
Saudi Arabia does not offer automatic government compensation for road accidents. Financial relief depends on police investigations that must establish fault on the part of the tanker driver or the operating company. Families may file civil claims, but the process can take months.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed deep grief and assured full support from the Indian mission in Riyadh. Local leaders, including Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, urged the Centre to assist families through the legal and procedural processes.
