42 Indian Umrah Pilgrims Killed in Bus–Tanker Collision on Makkah–Madinah Highway

News Network

November 17, 2025

At least 45 people are feared dead after a bus carrying Umrah pilgrims collided with a diesel tanker on the Makkah–Madinah highway near Mufrihat early Tuesday. According to local Saudi media, around 42 of the victims were Indian nationals.

The bus was reportedly travelling from Makkah to Madinah when the accident occurred around 1.30 am IST. Most of the passengers were from Hyderabad, Telangana, the Khaleej Times reported. The group was returning from Makkah after completing Umrah rituals.

A Gulf News report stated that many passengers were asleep when the collision occurred, leaving them little chance to escape after the bus burst into flames. The report also said that at least 11 women and 10 children were among the victims, though authorities are still verifying the numbers.

Rescue teams said the bus was completely charred, making the identification of victims extremely difficult. Reports said one person, Mohd Abdul Shoiab, survived and is currently in hospital, though his condition remains unclear.

Government Issues Helplines

The Telangana government said it is in touch with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has asked officials in New Delhi to coordinate closely with embassy authorities.

The Resident Commissioner has been tasked with collecting details of victims from Telangana, and a control room has been set up in the state secretariat.

Helpline numbers issued for families of victims:
+91 79979 59754
+91 99129 19545

The Indian Embassy in Jeddah has also set up a 24×7 control room and released a toll-free helpline number:
8002440003

PM Modi Reacts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the Saudi accident.

“Deeply saddened by the accident in Madinah involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with Saudi Arabian authorities,” he said in a post on X.

Owaisi Reacts

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that 42 Umrah pilgrims were on the bus when it caught fire. He said he is in touch with Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, who informed him that authorities are gathering more details.
Reports also said that around 16 pilgrims who had travelled through two Hyderabad-based agencies — Al-Meena Hajj and Umrah Travels — were among the deceased.

Owaisi urged the central government to bring the bodies back to India and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.

Foreign Minister Reacts

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he was “deeply shocked” by the accident involving Indian nationals in Madinah.

“Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah are giving fullest support to Indian nationals and families affected by this accident. Sincere condolences to the bereaved families. Pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he said on X.

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CPI-M ready to ally with Congress in 2026 West Bengal polls to 'defeat' TMC, BJP

News Network

January 19,2026

New Delhi: Setting speculation to the rest, the CPI(M) has made it clear that it is open to have an electoral understanding with the Congress “to defeat” the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal Assembly election even as it is all set to take on the grand old party in Kerala accusing it of “found wanting” in fighting the Hindutva forces.

The CPI(M) also said that it will contest the Tamil Nadu election “with DMK and its allies to defeat the BJP and its allies”, amid a section in the Congress triggering confusion about its participation in the M K Stalin-led coalition over demand over power-sharing and more seats. It is also willing to join hands with Congress and others in Assam and Puducherry to defeat the BJP.

The decisions came at a three-day meeting of the CPI(M) Central Committee in Thiruvananthapuram, which ended on Sunday after reviewing the poll preparations in the poll-bound states.

The CPI(M)'s decision came even as a section led by West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar is averse to tying up with the Left Front, claiming that their party is not benefitted by the electoral understanding. Both Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front had electoral understanding in 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress and the Left Front fought together for the first time in 2016 when Congress won 44 seats and the CPI(M) got 26. In 2021, the Left Front and the Congress drew a blank. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress managed to win one seat while the Left did not win any. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, both fought against each other with Congress winning two and the Left none.

“In Bengal, the party will work for the defeat of both the TMC and the BJP, which are trying to polarise the society. We will try to rally all the forces that are ready to work against them,” the CPI(M) said in a statement without naming Congress by name. Senior leaders said there is no change in its strategy of pooling all non-BJP, non-TMC votes.

However, the party was critical of the Congress in Kerala where both will fight against each other.

The CPI(M) said it would "expose the BJP-led Union government’s denial of rightful dues to Kerala, the fiscal constraints imposed and the overall attack on federalism" as also "expose the failure of the Congress to effectively counter this attack on federalism, as the largest opposition party in the Parliament".

"The Congress, especially in Kerala, was found wanting in the fight against communal RSS-BJP, ideologically and this will also be exposed before the people," it added.

In Assam, it said, the CPI(M) will work for the mobilisation of all the anti-BJP parties and forces and defeat the rabidly communal and divisive BJP government. The Left parties are cooperating with Congress in the north-eastern state. In Puducherry, it said it will work for the defeat of the BJP alliance government.

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