Saudi Arabia Bus Crash Claims 42 Indian Lives, Hyderabad Man's Miraculous Survival Amidst Tragedy

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A devastating bus crash in Saudi Arabia on Monday morning has left 42 Indian pilgrims dead, mostly from Telangana's Hyderabad, in a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves across the country. The bus, carrying 54 pilgrims from Mecca to Madinah, collided with a diesel tanker at around 1.30 am (IST) in Mufrihat, about 160 km from Madinah, resulting in a massive explosion that engulfed the vehicle within minutes. According to eyewitnesses, the fire spread rapidly, leaving the passengers with no time to escape. The sole survivor, 24-year-old Md Abdul Shoeb, a native of Hyderabad, is currently hospitalized in an ICU in Saudi Arabia. Shoeb had managed to jump out of the window of the bus along with the driver before the fire erupted. Telangana's Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have condoled the deaths of the victims. The Telangana government has announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for the families of the victims. One family, the Syeds, has lost 18 members in the tragedy, including their father, mother, brother, sister-in-law, and three children who were traveling with their 40-year-old wife Sana in the United States. A relative of the family expressed grief, saying that the victims had ignored his advice to travel separately, especially with children. The remains of the victims have been transferred to King Fahad Hospital, King Salman Hospital, and Al Miqat Hospital in Medinah. The Telangana government is making arrangements to repatriate the bodies of the deceased. The accident occurred on a bus that had departed from Hyderabad on November 9 and had completed their Umrah rituals in Mecca before the tragic incident. The survivors are still grappling with the trauma of the incident, and the families of the victims are seeking solace in the support of their community.