- Shabbir Ali thanks CM Revanth Reddy for handling Umrah pilgrims tragedy
- Government support, coordination and funeral arrangements highlighted
Advisor to the Telangana Government Mohammed Ali Shabbir thanked Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his swift and sensitive response to the Umrah pilgrims tragedy near Madinah. He said the Chief Minister took immediate decisions and coordinated with several agencies to help the families. He also said the steps taken by the Chief Minister brought timely relief during a very difficult period for Hyderabad families.
The accident took place a week ago when a private bus carrying Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad collided with an oil tanker about 25 kilometres from Madinah. The pilgrims had completed Umrah in Makkah and were travelling to visit the Prophet’s Mosque. All 45 deceased were residents of Hyderabad. The incident caused deep grief among the families and the larger community.
Shabbir Ali said the Chief Minister was the first to receive the news of the accident. He said CM Revanth Reddy alerted officials at once and told them to meet at the Haj House to assess the situation. He said the Chief Minister sought recommendations on the next steps and told officials to speak with the families. During these talks, it was agreed that the victims should be buried in Madinah. He said the families supported the decision to lay them to rest at Jannat ul-Baqi near Masjid al-Nabawi.
Shabbir Ali also said the Chief Minister took three major decisions during the cabinet meeting held on the same day. The state arranged travel for two relatives per deceased to visit Saudi Arabia for body identification and DNA procedures. He said all travel costs were covered by the Telangana Government. He added that emergency passports and visas were arranged in less than 24 hours.
The Telangana Government also announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh for each deceased. A state delegation was sent to Saudi Arabia to coordinate with local authorities. Meanwhile, the state worked with the Union Government, which sent a delegation led by Andhra Pradesh Governor S. A. Nazeer. Shabbir Ali said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with CM Revanth Reddy and assured full support.
He said funeral prayers for all victims were held after Zuhr at Masjid al-Nabawi. He said the burials took place at Jannat al-Baqi with full religious respect. He appreciated the coordination by the state and central governments in working with Saudi authorities. He said the government stayed in constant contact with the families and offered real time updates. He thanked CM Revanth Reddy, the Government of India, the Saudi authorities and the Muslim community for their cooperation.
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