The government will also sponsor and facilitate the travel of two members from each family to attend the last rites in Saudi Arabia.
Published Nov 17, 2025 | 6:37 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 17, 2025 | 6:37 PM
The bus caught fire after colliding with the fuel tanker.
Synopsis: The Telangana cabinet has announced ₹5 lakh ex-gratia for each family of the 45 Umrah pilgrims feared dead in the bus accident near Madinah, along with government-sponsored travel for two relatives to attend the last rites in Saudi Arabia. A delegation led by Minister for Minorities Welfare Mohammad Azharuddin will travel to Saudi Arabia to coordinate with local authorities.
The Telangana Cabinet has announced compensation and support measures for the families of the 45 Umrah pilgrims feared dead in the bus accident near Madinah in Saudi Arabia on Monday, 17 November.
Families of the victims will receive an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each. The State Cabinet approved the assistance for the bereaved families at its meeting held at the Secretariat on Monday.
The Cabinet also decided to send a government delegation led by Minister for Minorities Welfare Mohammad Azharuddin to Saudi Arabia to coordinate with local authorities. An MLA from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and a senior official from the minority community will also be part of the team.
The government will sponsor and arrange the travel of two members from each family to attend the last rites, which will be held in Saudi Arabia.
The tragedy occurred on the morning of Monday, 17 November, when the bus carrying the pilgrims caught fire after it collided with a diesel tanker.
The victims had embarked on the pilgrimage through the same travel agency. They were returning to Madinah in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia from Mecca after completing the rituals when the accident occurred around 11 pm Saudi time (1.30 am IST). Most of them were asleep when the bus crashed.
“A total of 54 people travelled from Hyderabad to Jeddah for the pilgrimage to Mecca on 9 November. Their travel plan was scheduled from the 9 to 23 November,” said VC Sajjanar, CP Hyderabad City Police, speaking to the media earlier in the day.
“Of the 54 travellers, 4 went from Mecca to Medina in a separate car on Sunday, and another 4 stayed back in Mecca. The remaining 46 people were travelling from Mecca to Medina by bus. The bus caught fire after colliding with an oil tanker, approximately 25 km before reaching Medina. Information has been received that 45 people died in the accident. Only one person, Md Abdul Shoaib, survived. He is currently in the ICU and receiving treatment at a hospital in Saudi Arabia.”
The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to the morgues in King Fahad Hospital, Miqat Hospital and King Salman Hospital, where post-mortem procedures were underway.
(Edited by Dese Gowda with inputs from Sumit Jha)
