717 dead, 2 Indians among 863 injured in Haj stampede in Saudi

 

Mina, 24 Sep 2015 (PTI): At least 717 people of different nationalities were killed and over 860 others, including two Indians, injured in a stampede today when Haj pilgrims jostled their way to perform symbolic stoning of the devil here, marking the culmination of the annual pilgrimage.

 

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.

 

It said that the stampede occurred at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat.

 

 

The Saudi civil defence authority said that 717 pilgrims from different nationalities were killed and 863 others were injured.

 

This is the second worst incident in 25 years to hit the annual pilgrimage. In 1990, a stampede inside tunnel leading to holy sites killed 1,426 pilgrims.

 

The Indian Consulate in Jeddah said there were no reports of any Indian being killed in the stampede so far. However, two Indians from Assam were injured and have been admitted to hospital.

 

Indian Haj mission doctors are deployed in all government hospitals in Mina and Mecca to ascertain if there were any Indian casualties.

 

The Consulate is continuously monitoring the situation, a statement from the mission said.

 

It said that the tents in the affected area are occupied by pilgrims from Africa and Arab countries.

 

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.