December 14, 2024 23:49 (IST)
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Mecca stampede: 29 Indians among 700 killed
New Delhi, Sept 27 (IBNS): The death toll of Indian pilgrims in the stampede incident outside the holy city of Mecca has touched 29, an Indian government statement said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday tweeted: "The number of Indian lives lost in Haj stampede has unfortunately gone up to 29."
"Our embassy officials are providing all help to the families," she said.
The stampede occurred on Thursday in Mina at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five km from Mecca, where pilgrims "stone the devil" in a ritual by throwing pebbles at three large pillars. The stampede took the lives of more than 700 pilgrims.
The worst tragedy in 25 years at the annual Muslim pilgrimage spurred King Salman of Saudi Arabia to order "a revision" of Haj organisation while authorities started a probe into the disaster.
Mina is a camp city, a few kilometres from Mecca, where pilgrims from across the world stay for several days during the Haj in a complex of white fireproof tents big enough to hold more than two million people.
This is the second major disaster at Mecca this month after over 100 people were killed on September 12, when a construction crane crashed on the Grand Mosque.
In 2006, 364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during the stoning ritual in Mina, among them 51 Indians.
Helpline numbers released by Government of India:
00966125458000 00966125496000 Toll free number for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia : 8002477786
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