Mortal remains of 45 Indian Umrah pilgrims killed in Saudi bus accident laid to rest in Madinah | VIDEO
Madinah: In an atmosphere heavy with grief, the mortal remains of 45 Hyderabad pilgrims who tragically lost their lives in the Madinah bus accident were laid to rest at the sacred Jannat ul Baqi cemetery in Madinah. A large number of mourners, including Indians, gathered to pay their respects.
The bodies were transported from the mortuary to the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid an-Nabawi), where funeral prayers (Janazah) were offered before burial at Jannat ul Baqi. Both Indian and Saudi attendees participated in the prayers and the burial ceremony. The proceedings were marked by profound sorrow and silence, reflecting the magnitude of the loss.
Officials from various government departments in Madinah were also present to pay their respects. Each body, wrapped in a simple white shroud, was carried to its final resting place while onlookers offered prayers in soft, trembling voices.
In an official post on X, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said: The last rites of the victims of the Madinah bus accident took place on November 22 in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Governor of Andhra Pradesh Justice S Abdul Nazeer participated in the funeral prayers at the Prophet's Mosque and the burial at Jannat ul Baqi. Ambassador Dr Suhel Khan and Consul General Fahad Suri also joined the relatives and well-wishers. The Embassy once again expresses deep condolences on this tragic accident.”
Among the victims were children, whose bodies were buried together, marking a tragic end to their journey of faith. These 45 pilgrims, who had travelled to the holy land to perform Umrah, now rest forever in the sacred soil of Madinah.
The accident had occurred on November 16 when the bus carrying the pilgrims from Hyderabad collided with a tanker truck. The burial was delayed to complete necessary procedures, including DNA verification.
Telangana Minister for Minority Welfare Mohammed Asherudeen and a delegation led by Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice S Abdul Nazeer attended the solemn ceremony.
A total of 54 pilgrims from Hyderabad had departed for Jeddah on November 9 for an Umrah tour scheduled from 9 to 23 November.
The group was travelling from Makkah to Madinah when their bus collided with an oil tanker about 25 km before Madinah, causing an explosion that engulfed the vehicle within minutes.
Of the 54 pilgrims, four travelled to Madinah separately by car, while another four remained in Makkah for personal reasons.
The remaining 46 pilgrims were on the bus involved in the fatal crash. Tragically, 45 passengers died at the scene after the bus was completely burnt, while only one individual, Md Abdul Shoaib, survived the fire.
(with ANI inputs)