Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Hyderabad, November 17 (ANS) The Telangana government has decided to pay compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of 45 Umrah pilgrims from the state who died in a bus accident in Saudi Arabia.
The decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday.
It was also decided to send a delegation of government representatives to Saudi Arabia headed by Minority Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin. The delegation will also include an MLA from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and a senior official from the Minority Welfare Department.
According to an official statement, the cabinet also decided that the last rites of those who died in the crash will be performed in Saudi Arabia as per their religious traditions.
The cabinet also decided to make arrangements to send at least two family members of the deceased to Saudi Arabia.
Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad died after their bus caught fire after colliding with an oil tanker near Madinah in Saudi Arabia.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar told media persons that, as per information received, one pilgrim, Mohammad Abdul Shoaib, survived and is undergoing treatment in the hospital.
He said a group of 54 pilgrims from Hyderabad had left for Jeddah on November 9 and were scheduled to return on November 23.
The pilgrims left for Medina on Sunday night after performing ‘Umrah’ (short pilgrimage) in Mecca. When the bus was about 25 km away from Madina, it caught fire after colliding with an oil tanker.
“Four pilgrims stayed back in Mecca, while four others left for Medina in a car. There were 46 pilgrims in the bus,” he said.
The pilgrims were mostly from Asif Nagar, Jhirra, Mehdipatnam and Toli Chowki areas of Hyderabad.
The victims included 17 men, 18 women and 10 children.
Minority Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin said a control room has been opened at the Haj House to provide information to the families of the victims.
Azharuddin said that the bodies were so burnt that they could not be identified. DNA testing is also likely to be conducted to identify the victims.
He said he spoke to the Indian Consul General, who told him that arrangements for the burial of the deceased would be made in Saudi Arabia.
–IANS
MS/UK