MACHILIPATNAM: A couple on Haj pilgrimage were killed in the crane crash at the Grand Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, official sources said here today.
The deceased have been identified as M Abdul Khaddar (38) and Fathima Begum (35), the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office confirmed today.
Khaddar's brother, M Rehman, told reporters that on September 6 his brother and his wife Fathima went to Mecca as Haj pilgrims.
He said that they were expected to return home in 15 days, but crane crash accident took place killing the couple who hails from Machilipatnam of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh.
The AP CM expressed his condolences on the death of M Abdul Khaddar and Fathima in a message to their family members today evening.
AP Excise Minister K Ravindra and local MP Narayana Rao went to the deceased's family members house here to express their condolences on behalf of the AP government, official sources said.