Bus accident: T'gana govt to send team to Saudi for relief efforts, announces Rs five lakh ex-gratia

Hyderabad, Nov 17 (PTI) The Telangana government on Monday decided to depute a team, led Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin, to Saudi Arabia to coordinate relief efforts following the bus accident there in which several city residents were killed.

The government has also decided to conduct the funeral of the deceased as per religious traditions in Saudi Arabia and to provide ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the kin of those who died, an official release said.

Two members from each family of the victims would be taken to Saudi Arabia, it said.

The team, to be led by Azharuddin, would comprise an MLA of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM and an official of the minorities welfare department, it added.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Haj Committee said in a note released to the media that 10 children were among the victims.

It said pilgrims, who used the services of four travel agencies, were travelling to Madina for Ziyarath when the accident occurred around 1.30 AM at Mufrihat, about 25 km from Madina.

At least 45 people, most of them from Hyderabad, were killed after the bus they were travelling in collided with an oil tanker, the city police said on Monday citing preliminary information.

However, there is no official word so far from Saudi authorities and the government of India over the casualties. PTI SJR GDK SJR SA