INDIAN CASUALTIES GOES UP TO 14 AT HAJ STAMPEDE IN SAUDI ARABIA

The  Indians casualties has gone up to 14 in the Haj stampede in Saudi Arabia that claimed 717 lives and left over 800 injured, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said.

“Our consul general Jeddah reports loss of 14 Indian lives in stampede,” the minister said in a tweet. She added that “we have 13 injured in hospital“.

“The exact number will be known after confirmation by Saudi authorities,” she further said.

Among the Indians killed was a Keralite, Mohammed from Kodungaloor in Thrissur district, Kerala’s Rural Development and Non Resident Keralite Affairs Minister K.C. Joseph said in Thiruvananthapuram.

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 died at a hospital in Mina, he said.

Two Indians from Assam were among the injured and have been admitted to hospital.

Munis Ahmed Ansari of the Haj Committee of India said more than 1.5 lakh Indian pilgrims went for the Haj this time.

He said compared to other countries, India traditionally reserved a large number of seats for elderly citizens, which added to the worry of the organisers.

“This year too, almost 80,000 of the 1.5-lakh pilgrims are above 70. So naturally a lot of people back home are worried about the condition of the pilgrims from India,” he said.

Emergency numbers

The External Affairs Ministry has provided emergency numbers in Makkah for the family members: Ph: 00966125458000 and 00966125496000.

A toll-free number for pilgrims in UAE is +8002477786.

Following is the list of Indians killed in the Haj stampede in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

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 Makkah and surrounding areas.

Courtesy: Agencies