In a gut-wrenching catastrophe that has left Hyderabad reeling, 45 Umrah pilgrims—mostly from the city's Old City and Ramnagar areas—were killed when their bus slammed into a diesel tanker and erupted in flames just 25 km from Medina, with families like Shaik Naseeruddin's 18-member clan completely annihilated in the inferno, leaving behind a trail of inconsolable widows, orphans, and elders clutching faded photos of their loved ones.

The tragedy unfolded around 1:30 AM on November 17, 2025, as the 46 devotees, including 20 women and 11 children who had just fulfilled their lifelong spiritual vows in Mecca, dozed en route to Medina; only a young child miraculously escaped the blaze, now clinging to life in intensive care while frantic parents from Hyderabad's Mallepally neighborhood flood hospitals with DNA samples for charred remains that may never be fully identified.

At Hyderabad's Hajj House in Nampally, grief-stricken relatives gathered in clusters, some collapsing in sobs upon hearing confirmations— like the 16 souls from one Old City household, including grandparents who saved for decades to make this pilgrimage— as Telangana Minister Mohammad Azharuddin personally met with them, holding trembling hands and promising the state would spare no effort to bring home every body for a dignified farewell.

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Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, voice breaking as he named victims from his constituency, revealed how entire families like Naseeruddin's—father, mother, siblings, and little ones—boarded the ill-fated Al Makkah Tours bus on November 9, full of joy for their November 23 return; now, he vows to fly to Saudi Arabia himself if needed, coordinating with embassy officials to ensure no grieving parent is left waiting alone in this hour of unimaginable loss.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended national condolences and activated a Jeddah helpline (8002440003), Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy's 24x7 control room (7997959754, 9912919545) buzzes non-stop with desperate calls from shattered homes, where the air is thick with prayers not just for the departed, but for the strength of families forever scarred by a journey meant to bring divine peace but delivered only devastation.

Also Read: Hyderabad in Turmoil: Families Flee to Travel Agency After Deadly Saudi Bus Crash