8 Indians among 25 killed in Saudi mishap

Updated at 10.45 pm

DUBAI: Eight Indians were among 25 people killed when a bus carrying pilgrims fell into a ditch in Saudi Arabia.
 
Four Indians were injured and the fate of five was unknown after the bus carrying 41 people, including 17 Indians, met with the accident at Raheli at 11 pm local time on Thursday while on its way from Jeddah to Madihah.
 
Among the eight deceased Indians, five were from Keala and one each from Bihar, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said.

The dead were identified as Kasim Chalil Kizhakke
Thalappil, Ali Ahamed, Nazeer Ahmad, Vettanthod Unnikoya, Ashraf Kottani Purath, Puthan Veettil Shamas, Sajuddin and Ghazanfar, the Indian Consulate in Jeddah said.
 
The four Indians injured and hospitalised were Syed
Ahamad, Alam Shamseer, Syednstal Mohammed and Khalillullah Athaulla.

The fate of five other Indians travelling in the bus was not known. Their names are Mahmood Adnan, Kunhi Moideen, Mohd Salman Farooqui, Barath Kunnummal and Khaja Najmuddin.

The consulate has been directed to make arrangements for the burial of the dead, if their relatives consented for it, Ahamed said.

Earlier, consulate officials had put the total death toll at 28 and number of Indians travelling in the bus as 16.

.