Family in Karnataka mourns man killed in Madina bus crash during Umrah pilgrimage

Grief has swept through the home of 55-year-old Abdul Ghani Shirahatti in Huballi, Karnataka after his family received confirmation of his death in a bus crash in Madina, Saudi Arabia, where he had travelled to perform the Umrah pilgrimage.

Ghani, who had worked as a hotel driver in Dubai for two decades, left for Saudi Arabia on 9 November to undertake the pilgrimage. His nephew Parvez told PTI Videos that the family last spoke to him on 16 November.

“He had been wanting to perform Umrah for a long time, and sadly this tragedy occurred. We learned about his death on Monday afternoon from a family friend based in Hyderabad, whose relatives were also on the pilgrimage,” he said.

As news of the accident reached the family, neighbours and relatives gathered at their residence, many overcome with emotion as they consoled one another.

The family is awaiting further information and the repatriation of Ghani’s body.

Congress MLA Abbayya Prasad visited the bereaved family on Monday, assuring them that the government was coordinating arrangements to help them travel to Saudi Arabia and bring the body home.

At least 45 Indians, most of them Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad, were killed in the collision between their bus and an oil tanker in Madina, according to officials.

With PTI inputs