Another 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred on Thursday as two million pilgrims from 180 countries were taking part in the Hajj’s last major rite. Over 1.5 <g data-gr-id="38">lakh</g> Indians are taking part in this year’s Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam that should be performed at least once in <g data-gr-id="36">lifetime</g> by every Muslim who is financially and physically capable.
The tragedy occurred after two massive lines of pilgrims converged on each other from different direction 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 on Thursday 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 Makkah. But the number of Indians who died in the stampede rose to 14 on Friday.
“Our consul general Jeddah reports loss of 14 Indian lives in stampede,” Indian 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 Hajj, 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. Thursday’s incident is the second worst tragedy to hit the Haj after <g data-gr-id="33">1990,</g> when 1,426 pilgrims were killed in a stampede inside a tunnel leading to holy sites.
Iran has reported that 131 of its nationals 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 Hajj 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.”