Kharge mourns pilgrims’ deaths in Saudi mishap

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed sorrow over the death of several Indian Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and pressed the Centre to work closely with the state authorities, particularly in Telangana, to support the families awaiting news from abroad.

A bus carrying around 40 Indian pilgrims, most of them from Telangana, reportedly collided with an oil tanker near Medina around 1:30 am (IST), leaving several feared dead. As initial details filtered in, the Congress leadership focused its response on ensuring that relief measures were streamlined between the Centre and the states.

Kharge said he was “deeply saddened by the heart-wrenching tragedy near Medina in Saudi Arabia, involving several Indian nationals,” adding that his “deepest condolences” were with the bereaved families. He also prayed “for the swift recovery of the injured,” remarking in a post on X that the government must step in with urgency.

Senior Congress leaders said the party’s top brass had been in touch with its unit in Telangana to help families who were unable to reach officials for updates.

Kharge also said he had asked the Telangana CM to extend all possible assistance to the affected families and noted that he was monitoring the situation.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy echoed the sense of grief, writing that the accident had “shocked” him. “The news that several Telangana residents who had gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca have died in this incident has caused deep sorrow,” he said in a post on X. He added that he had instructed senior state officials to speak to the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Embassy representatives to verify the well-being of the pilgrims.