NEW DELHI: The Indian government, following the tragic bus accident near Medina in Saudi Arabia that reportedly killed 42 passengers, has released emergency helpline numbers to assist families. The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has activated a 24×7 control room, with the following contact details: 8002440003 (toll free), 0122614093, 0126614276, 0556122301 (WhatsApp).The crash occurred around 1.30 am IST on Monday when the bus, travelling from Mecca to Medina, collided with a diesel tanker. Many of the victims are believed to be from Hyderabad, including 20 women and 11 children. Most passengers were asleep at the time of the collision. Local residents rushed to help rescue teams, while Saudi authorities have yet to issue an official casualty count.
Also read| Medina-bound bus collides with diesel tanker; majority of pilgrims from HyderabadMany of the victims are believed to be from Hyderabad, including 20 women and 11 children. Most passengers were asleep when the collision occurred. Local residents reportedly rushed to help rescue teams, while Saudi authorities have yet to issue an official casualty count.Following the tragedy, the Telangana government set up a control room at the state Secretariat. Chief minister Revanth Reddy directed top officials to gather full details, coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Saudi Embassy, and extend immediate support to affected families. The CMO said chief secretary Ramakrishna Rao also alerted the Resident Commissioner in Delhi to collect information about passengers from Telangana.Also read|Mecca-Medina bus crash: What we know so farExternal affairs minister S Jaishankar said on X that he was “deeply shocked” by the incident and added that the Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah were extending “fullest support” to affected Indian nationals. He offered condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a swift recovery to the injured.Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi was quoted by news agency ANI as saying that he had contacted two local travel agencies and forwarded passenger lists to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. He also spoke with deputy chief of mission Abu Mathen George, who informed him that Saudi authorities were collecting further details.
