Telangana CM hands over ex-gratia to kin of deceased in Saudi bus accident

Hyderabad, Feb 28 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday handed over ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the kin of 44 Indians who were killed in a bus fire accident in Saudi Arabia in November last year.

At an event held in the Secretariat here, he also gave away cheque for Rs three lakh to those who were critically injured.

Speaking on the occasion, Reddy said the government deputed a delegation led by Minority Welfare Minister Mohammad Azharuddin to Madina soon after coming to know about the accident and facilitated the visit of family members by arranging passports and visas expeditiously.

The government also helped with the funeral of the deceased by holding talks with the Indian Consulate and the Saudi government, he said.

Though ex-gratia is generally not provided for those who died outside the country, the state government decided to help the families of those who died in the Saudi accident, taking a humanitarian view, he said.

He further said though the ex-gratia cheques could have been sent to their homes, the government called the family members to the Secretariat to meet them.

Recalling his association with Muslims, he said he has been sending five persons in his assembly constituency of Kodangal to Haj pilgrimage every year at his own expense since 2009.

Azharuddin and several government officials were present on the occasion.

At least 45 Indians, the majority of them Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad, were killed in Saudi Arabia's Madina after their bus collided with an oil tanker in November last year. PTI SJR SJR KH