Indian man loses 18 family members in Saudi crash, had urged them not to travel together

He bid them goodbye just a few days back as they departed for Saudi Arabia. Little did he know that he would never see them again. It was a big loss for 35-year-old Syed Rashid, who lost 18 members of his family in the deadly crash near Madinah in Saudi Arabia.

Among the victims were his parents, 65-year-old Shaik Naseeruddin, a retired railway employee, and 60-year-old Akhter Begum, along with his 38-year-old brother, his 35-year-old sister-in-law, and their three children, HT reported earlier. Also among the deceased were Sirajuddin, who lived in the US, his wife Sana and their three children, as well as relatives Amina Begum and her daughter, Shameena Begum and her son, and Rizwana Begum and her two children.

Rashid, who lives near CPI(M) Marx Bhavan in Vidyanagar, said he had personally seen off the family at Hyderabad airport on November 9 as they left for Umrah.

He recalled urging them not to travel together, especially with children.

“I never imagined that would be the last time I saw them. At least some of them would have survived had they listened,” he said.