HYDERABAD: A woman pilgrim from Hyderabad is among those who died in a stampede during the Haj at Mina near Makkah in Saudi Arabia today, an official of Telangana State Haj Committee said.
She was identified as Bi Bi Jaan, wife of Abdul Majeed. At least 717 people were killed and over 860 others injured in the stampede when Haj pilgrims jostled their way to perform symbolic stoning of the devil, marking the culmination of the annual pilgrimage.
Special Officer of the committee S A Shukoor told PTI here that Jaan, who had gone on the pilgrimage with her husband and two other relatives on September 2, was today caught in the stampede and she died at a hospital at Mina. Shukoor, who is in touch with the Consul Haj, Indian Haj Mission in Jeddah, said there was no information about any other Indian pilgrim.
Shukoor spoke to the relatives of the deceased pilgrim both in Saudi Arabia and in Hyderabad, he said. The State Haj Committee has set up helpline numbers, 040–23214193 for Telangana and 040–23298793 for Andhra Pradesh, which will work round the clock.
The Haj Committee of India has also set up a 24x7 control room with telephone numbers 022-22717100/ 22717101/22717102.