At least two Indian national has been confirmed dead in the deadliest Saudi Haj crush which took place on Thursday at Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
The first victim, a women identified as 60-year old Bibi Jan had gone with her family to the holy city. The victim is a resident of Hyderabad’s LB Nagar. According to sources she had visited along with three of her family members.
A man from Kerala was also among the pilgrims killed according to information received by the state government. “The government has received information that one Keralite Mohammed from Kodungaloor in Thrissur district was among those killed in the stampede,” Rural Development and Non Resident Keralite Affairs (NORKA) Minister K C Joseph told. The deceased had gone for the Haj through a privately-sponsored group, he said.
As per reports 453 have been killed while another 719 others have been injured injured in the stampede, which took place on Street 204 of the camp city , a few kilometres east of Mecca, where pilgrims stay for several days during the climax of the haj.
Two weeks ago 110 people died in Mecca’s Grand Mosque when a crane working on an expansion project collapsed during a storm and toppled off the roof into the main courtyard, crushing pilgrims underneath.