MINA, Sept 25: Fourteen Indians were dead and 13 others injured in the grisly stampede at the Haj as the death toll in the worst tragedy to hit the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in 25 years rose to 719.
Another 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred yesterday as two million pilgrims from 180 countries were taking part in the Haj’s last major rite.
Over 1.5 lakh Indians are taking part in this year’s Haj, 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.
The crush occurred after two massive lines of pilgrims converged on each other from different directions at an intersection close to the five-storey Jamarat Bridge in Mina for symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls.
Authorities had yesterday said that four Indians, including a woman and a volunteer, were killed in the stampede which occurred at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five kilometres from Mecca.
But the number of Indians who died in the stampede rose to 14 today.
“Our Consul General Jeddah reports loss of 14 Indian lives in stampede,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
Thirteen Indians were among over 800 people injured in the tragedy, she said.
“The exact number will be known after confirmation by Saudi authorities,” she further said.
As part of the Haj, pilgrims travel to Mina to throw seven stones at pillars called Jamarat, which represent the devil. The pillars stand where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham.
The stampede is the second disaster to strike in two weeks, after a crane collapsed at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing 109 people, including 11 Indians.
Yesterday’s incident 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.
Iran has reported that 131 of its nations have died while Pakistan said six of its Haj pilgrims have lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered a safety review for the Haj pilgrimage after the tragedy.
The king said there was a need “to improve the level of organisation and management of movement” of pilgrims”.
Offering condolences to the relatives of the dead and injured, he said: “We have instructed concerned authorities to review the operations plan and to raise the level of organisation and management to ensure that the guests of God perform their rituals in comfort and ease.”
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayyef, who chairs the Haj committee, has begun an inquiry into the tragedy.
Following is the list of Indians killed in the Haj stampede:
Shamshudeen Mohamad Ebrahim (Tamil Nadu). Mohideen Pitchal (Tamil Nadu). Mohammad Rustam Ali (Jharkhand). Nizaul Haque (Jharkhand) – Volunteer. Saleem Yousuf Shaikh (Maharashtra). Mohammad Hanief Hasan (Gujarat). Mohammad Madinabibi (Gujarat). Diwan Ayubsha Bafaisah (Gujarat). Diwan Jubedabibi Aiyubsha (Gujarat). Soda Rehmat Qasam (Gujarat). Betara Fatmaben Karim (Gujarat). Bolim Havbai Ishak (Gujarat). Nagori Johrabibi (Gujarat). Nagori Rukhsana Mohammad Ishak (Gujarat). Thirteen other pilgrims are injured and admitted in various hospitals in Mecca and surrounding areas.
Following are Emergency Nos in Mecca:
00966125458000, 00966125496000. Toll free number for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia : 8002477786.
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