The Indian pilgrims who lost their lives in the Madinah bus tragedy, which claimed 44 Indian lives, were laid to rest on Saturday in Saudi Arabia. The deceased were buried at the revered Jannat ul Baqi cemetery following funeral rituals attended by senior officials from India.
A high-level Indian delegation — including Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Suhel Khan, and Consul General Fahad Suri — took part in the funeral prayers held at the Prophet’s Mosque before the burial.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia wrote:
“The last rites of the victims of the Madinah bus accident took place on November 22 in Madinah. Governor of Andhra Pradesh Justice S. Abdul Nazeer participated in the prayers and burial at Jannat ul Baqi. Ambassador Dr. Suhel Khan and Consul General Fahad Suri also stood with the families and well-wishers.”
The Embassy extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and acknowledged the immense grief caused by the tragic incident.
Governor Nazeer Holds Talks With Saudi Leadership
During the visit, Governor Abdul Nazeer met senior Saudi officials to discuss the incident and ongoing support for the affected families. He held discussions with Abdulmohsen bin Naif bin Humaid, Acting Governor of Madinah, and also spoke via telephone with Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Governor of Madinah, ANI reported.
The Governor was accompanied by Special Chief Secretary G. Anantha Ramu, Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Kumar Chatterjee, as well as Embassy representatives.
Saudi authorities expressed their sympathies and assured complete cooperation to assist Indian officials and the families of the victims. In a post on X, the Embassy thanked the Kingdom for its prompt support and compassionate response.
How the Accident Happened
The tragic crash involved a group of 54 pilgrims from Hyderabad who had travelled to Saudi Arabia on November 9 for a planned Umrah pilgrimage from November 9 to 23.
While travelling between Makkah and Madinah, their bus collided with an oil tanker approximately 25 km before Madinah. The collision caused an explosion, and the bus was engulfed in flames within minutes.
Of the 54 pilgrims:
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4 had travelled separately to Madinah by car,
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4 stayed back in Makkah,
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46 were on the bus at the time of the crash.
A total of 45 passengers died on the spot, leaving only one survivor — Md Abdul Shoaib — who managed to escape the burning vehicle.
The incident has been described as one of the deadliest road accidents involving Indian nationals in recent years.