MINA, Sept 24: At least 717 people, including four Indians, were killed and over 860 injured in a stampede today during Haj here, in the second worst ever tragedy to hit the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The four Indians killed in the tragedy during the symbolic stoning of the devil, included a woman and a volunteer, Indian Consulate officials in Jeddah said. Two Indians were also injured.
The Saudi civil defence authority said 717 pilgrims from different nationalities were killed and 863 others were injured in the stampede that took place due to a sudden surge in the number of pilgrims heading to Jamarat for symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls resulted in the stampede at 9 AM local time (1130 IST).
The state-run Saudi Press Agency said the stampede occurred at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five kilometres from Mecca.
Among the Indians killed was man from Kerala identified as Mohammed from Kodungaloor in Thrissur district, Kerala’s Rural Development and Non Resident Keralite Affairs (NORKA) Minister K C Joseph said in Thiruvananth-apuram.
The deceased had gone for the Haj through a privately- sponsored group, he said. A woman from the state was among those injured, he added.
A woman pilgrim from Hyderabad identified as Bibi Jaan was also killed in the stampede, said S A Shukoor, special officer of Telangana State Haj Committee.
Jaan had gone on the pilgrimage with her husband and two other relatives on September 2. She was caught up in the stampede and died at a hospital in Mina, he said.
Two Indians from Assam were among the injured and have been admitted to hospital.
This is the second worst tragedy to hit the Haj after 1990 when 1,426 pilgrims were killed in a stampede inside a tunnel leading to holy sites.
Indian Haj mission doctors were deployed in all Government hospitals in Mina and Mecca.
After the stoning, the pilgrims perform the ritual of animal sacrifice to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, Ismail, to God. The pilgrimage ends after Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice.
Over two million pilgrims, including more than 1.5 lakh Indians, are performing the Haj this year.
The civil defence authority said its teams on the ground are leading pilgrims to safer routes away from the stampede site through alternate routes. It said 4,000 people were taking part in rescue efforts, along with 220 ambulances.
Dozens of bodies covered in white cloths were lying on the ground along with personal items like shoes, umbrellas etc scattered around them.
TV footage from the incident site showed the ground strewn with injured people. Women and old men were screaming.
The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals. Some of the injured were evacuated by helicopters to hospitals in Mecca.
“In my camp there were about 400 pilgrims. All of them are safe. But I am trying to make some calls and ascertain from other people,” said Abid Rasool Khan, Chairman Minorities Panel, Andhra Pradesh.
It was the second major accident this year for pilgrims. Days before the Haj, a massive crane collapse in Mecca Grand Mosque killing 115 people, including 11 Indians.
The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam that should be performed at least once in lifetime by every Muslim who is financially and physically capable.
Two days back the pilgrims had moved to tent-city of Mina from Mecca to perform the Haj. They prayed in Arafat, where Prophet Mohammad delivered the last Haj sermon nearly 1400 years ago, yesterday and returned today to Mina for stoning of the devil, the last major Haj ritual.
Mina has in the past been the site of major stampedes that have killed hundreds of people.
At least 51 Indians were among 364 pilgrims killed in a stampede during the stoning ritual in Mina in 2006. (PTI)
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