A tragic accident happened while a group was traveling from Mecca to Medina — many died in their sleep. A bus carrying pilgrims from Telangana, India, who had gone for the Mecca holy trip, met with a terrible accident near Mufrihat. The bus collided with a diesel tanker, causing a huge fire. In this accident, 45 Indians died, including 28 women. Only one person was rescued with injuries. The crash happened around 1:30 AM, and many passengers died while they were still asleep. India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He said a 24-hour control room has been set up in Jeddah to handle all information and to bring the bodies back to India. He also said that the Indian Embassy has been instructed to arrange the bodies’ return and provide the best treatment for the injured person. India is also in touch with the Saudi government regarding this matter. Meanwhile, many leaders — including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Chief Ministers, and Governors — have expressed their condolences to the families of the victims.
