The news about the killing of three Indian pilgrims in an attack by unidentified armed assailants near the holy city of Karbala in Iraq has caused deep shock to their families back home.

The families plunged into inconsolable grief when other pilgrims informed them about the gruesome killings. A pall of gloom descended upon the houses of two of the victims who resided in Hyderabad, as relatives and neighbours gathered to condole their death.

The victims have been identified as Syed Mohammed Ahmed Ali (42) , a resident of Chanchalguda in the Old City of Hyderabad, Dr Mulla Mohiuddin Baig (55), a resident of Ghatkesar on the city outskirts, and Agha Syed Jaffer Mashadi (62), who lived in the coastal town of Razole in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.

Mariyam Begum, mother of Ahmad Ali, weeping inconsolably, recalled: "My son has been to the pilgrimage to Karbala several times. But this time, he has met a tragic end. I don't know how to mourn over his loss. I am told other men pilgrims were also killed and their belongings were looted." 

Ahmed leaves behind his aged mother, his wife Malika Begum and three teenaged children -- sons Yousuf Huda and Kamal Hyder and daughter Zohra Begum. Ahmed Ali was employed in a private firm in Hyderabad.

Mohiuddin Baig, a medical doctor by profession, leaves behind two sons and a daughter. Incidentally, his wife accompanied him on this pilgrimage and was a witness to the ghastly killing. 

Jaffar Mashadi is a retired person whose family lived in Razole. He went on this pilgrimage with his wife and his mother-in-law. He leaves behind his wife and six daughters.

The group leader of the Indian pilgrims, Syeda Zainab Fatima, conveyed the sad news to the victims' families on Friday. The incident had occurred on the night of August 31.

Syed Hamed Hussain Jafri, president of Andhra Pradesh Shia Youth Conference and Mirza Mohammed Zair Karbalaee, who were also in the group of Indian pilgrims, gave details of the incident to the victims' families.

They said a group of 40 pilgrims, including Indians and Pakistanis, were returning to Karbala (Iraq) after performing ziarat (pilgrimage) at Damascus in Syria. The group comprising 18 men and 22 women were ambushed by armed assailants near Karbala and forced out of the bus. They shot dead 14 men -- three Indians  and 11 Pakistanis. The unidentified killers spared the remaining four men and 22 women but looted the baggage and belongings of all the pilgrims.

Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy termed the incident as 'unfortunate' and condemned the killing of the pilgrims from the state in a terrorist attack in Iraq. He said that the state officials were in touch with the external affairs ministry to get more details of the incident.