For 34 Kashmiri pilgrims who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, what was meant to be a spiritual journey has turned into an anxious wait to return home, with cancelled flights, mounting expenses and dwindling financial resources adding to their distress.Scheduled to return to Kashmir on October 13, the pilgrims remain stranded in Saudi Arabia, uncertain about when they will be able to reunite with their families. With accommodation, food and medicines adding to their daily expenses, many say they are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain their prolonged stay and cannot afford the costly alternative routes available to some passengers.Umar Nazir TibetBaqal of Labaika Haj &amp; Umrah Services said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Ministry of External Affairs were working to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, but those unable to afford fresh tickets might have to wait for government intervention.“The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Ministry of External Affairs are working on the matter and making every possible effort to facilitate the return of the stranded pilgrims. At present, their options are to purchase fresh tickets or wait for government assistance with their repatriation. The situation is not limited to Kashmir, as thousands of Indians are also stranded in Saudi Arabia amid the flight disruptions,” he said.According to an updated advisory shared by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh on X, IndiGo has extended the cancellation of its flights to Saudi Arabia. Flights to and from Riyadh will remain cancelled until October 31, 2026, while services to and from Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah will remain cancelled until October 27, 2026.The extended cancellations have further complicated the return plans of the Kashmiri pilgrims. While some passengers have reportedly managed to return through connecting flights and indirect routes, the high cost of alternative travel has put such options beyond the reach of many.For those still stranded, the uncertainty is compounded by the steady depletion of their cash reserves. The pilgrims say they are struggling to meet basic expenses, while the prolonged separation from their families and the lack of clarity over their return have added to their mental distress.The pilgrims have appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene urgently and help secure their safe and early return to Jammu and Kashmir.They have urged the administration to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the concerned airlines to explore alternative arrangements and ensure that financial constraints do not leave them stranded indefinitely.As the wait continues, the pilgrims are hoping for swift government intervention to bring their ordeal to an end and help them return home safely.

The pilgrims have appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene urgently and help secure their safe and early return to Jammu and Kashmir.

For 34 Kashmiri pilgrims who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, what was meant to be a spiritual journey has turned into an anxious wait to return home, with cancelled flights, mounting expenses and dwindling financial resources adding to their distress. Scheduled to return to Kashmir on October 13, the pilgrims remain stranded in Saudi Arabia, uncertain about when they will be able to reunite with their families. With accommodation, food and medicines adding to their daily expenses, many say they are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain their prolonged stay and cannot afford the costly alternative routes available to some passengers. Umar Nazir TibetBaqal of Labaika Haj & Umrah Services said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Ministry of External Affairs were working to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, but those unable to afford fresh tickets might have to wait for government intervention. “The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Ministry of External Affairs are working on the matter and making every possible effort to facilitate the return of the stranded pilgrims. At present, their options are to purchase fresh tickets or wait for government assistance with their repatriation. The situation is not limited to Kashmir, as thousands of Indians are also stranded in Saudi Arabia amid the flight disruptions,” he said. According to an updated advisory shared by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh on X, IndiGo has extended the cancellation of its flights to Saudi Arabia. Flights to and from Riyadh will remain cancelled until October 31, 2026, while services to and from Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah will remain cancelled until October 27, 2026. The extended cancellations have further complicated the return plans of the Kashmiri pilgrims. While some passengers have reportedly managed to return through connecting flights and indirect routes, the high cost of alternative travel has put such options beyond the reach of many. For those still stranded, the uncertainty is compounded by the steady depletion of their cash reserves. The pilgrims say they are struggling to meet basic expenses, while the prolonged separation from their families and the lack of clarity over their return have added to their mental distress. The pilgrims have appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene urgently and help secure their safe and early return to Jammu and Kashmir. They have urged the administration to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the concerned airlines to explore alternative arrangements and ensure that financial constraints do not leave them stranded indefinitely. As the wait continues, the pilgrims are hoping for swift government intervention to bring their ordeal to an end and help them return home safely.

The pilgrims have appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene urgently and help secure their safe and early return to Jammu and Kashmir.

Stranded far from home, 34 Kashmiri Umrah pilgrims run out of options as return flights remain cancelled

At least 42 may have died when a bus full of Indian Umrah travellers hit a diesel tanker near Medina on Monday (Nov 17) morning, local media in Saudi Arabia reported. Most of the victims of the horrific accident are believed to be Indian citizens, some reportedly from Hyderabad. The Telangana government said it has reached out to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for information. In a brief statement, officials confirmed that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has asked authorities in New Delhi to stay in close contact with embassy staff and track developments.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/four-dead-seven-injured-as-tata-sumo-collides-with-truck-in-j-k-s-budgam-cm-call-for-probe-1763273899494">Four dead, seven injured after Tata Sumo collides with truck in J&amp;K's Budgam</a><h2>What happened?</h2>Reports suggest that the accident occurred near 1:30 am IST (approximately 11 pm, November 16 local time) in Mufrihat. The vehicle carrying pilgrims who had finished their Umrah pilgrimage was travelling from Mecca to Madinah. As per MediaOne, there were 43 people on the bus—but just one made it through. The survivor has been shifted to a medical centre. Maktoob Media reported that around 20 women, along with 11 kids, were on the bus. Since most seemed to be sleeping during the crash, they barely had a chance to react after flames spread.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING: A bus travelling from Mecca to Medina collided with a diesel tanker and caught fire, killing 42 passengers. Reports say 18 passengers from Hyderabad were on board; only one survived. Officials confirm 21 women and 11 children among the dead.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaudiArabia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaudiArabia</a> <a href="https://t.co/LtUqsoNfDz">pic.twitter.com/LtUqsoNfDz</a>&mdash; Sai Ram B (@SaiRamSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaiRamSays/status/1990281273047396797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Local officials estimate that 42 people have died in the tragic crash, but have not yet released an official figure and said they were checking for any additional survivors.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-open-to-talks-with-maduro-even-as-washington-slaps-terror-tag-on-his-alleged-cartel-1763341987551">Trump says open to talks with Maduro, as Washington slaps 'foreign terrorist organisation' tag on his alleged cartel</a><h2>CGI Jeddah launches 24x7 control room</h2>The Consulate General of India, in a social media post, has set up a 24x7 Control Room to aid Indians in Saudi Arabia. CGI Jeddah has also shared a toll-free helpline number.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In view of a tragic bus accident near Madina, Saudi Arabia, involving Indian Umrah pilgirms, a 24x7 Control Room has been set up in Consulate General of India, Jeddah. The contact details of the Helpline are as under: Toll free number- 8002440003<a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianDiplomacy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndianDiplomacy</a>…&mdash; India in Jeddah (@CGIJeddah) <a href="https://twitter.com/CGIJeddah/status/1990282761559560259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In an official statement, the state government confirmed that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has alerted officials in New Delhi and instructed them to coordinate closely with embassy authorities. Telangana Chief Secretary in Hyderabad, Ramakrishna Rao, alerted the Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal, who is in Delhi. He ordered to collect details on how many people belonging to our state are in the accident and provide them immediately as per the CMO.

A bus carrying Umrah pilgrims crashed into a fuel truck near Medina, killing an estimated 42 people. Most victims are believed to be from India, including several from Hyderabad.

At least 42 may have died when a bus full of Indian Umrah travellers hit a diesel tanker near Medina on Monday (Nov 17) morning, local media in Saudi Arabia reported. Most of the victims of the horrific accident are believed to be Indian citizens, some reportedly from Hyderabad. The Telangana government said it has reached out to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for information. In a brief statement, officials confirmed that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has asked authorities in New Delhi to stay in close contact with embassy staff and track developments. Also read | Four dead, seven injured after Tata Sumo collides with truck in J&K's Budgam What happened? Reports suggest that the accident occurred near 1:30 am IST (approximately 11 pm, November 16 local time) in Mufrihat. The vehicle carrying pilgrims who had finished their Umrah pilgrimage was travelling from Mecca to Madinah. As per MediaOne, there were 43 people on the bus—but just one made it through. The survivor has been shifted to a medical centre. Maktoob Media reported that around 20 women, along with 11 kids, were on the bus. Since most seemed to be sleeping during the crash, they barely had a chance to react after flames spread.

A bus carrying Umrah pilgrims crashed into a fuel truck near Medina, killing an estimated 42 people. Most victims are believed to be from India, including several from Hyderabad.

Saudi Arabia bus-tanker collision: At least 42 Indians feared dead as Umrah bus collides with diesel tanker near Medina

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Stranded far from home, 34 Kashmiri Umrah pilgrims run out of options as return flights remain cancelled

42 Indians feared dead as Umrah bus collides with diesel tanker near Medina