DUBAI, April 10: Embassy officials camping at Mecca today began the process of identifying 24 Indians among the pilgrims killed in the stampede during ``stoning the devil'' ritual at Mina, 10 km from the holy Mecca city, Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, MH Ansari said.Ansari said of the 24, 13 were men and 11 women and that not many Indians were injured in the stampede which claimed the lives of at least 150 Muslim pilgrims, mostly elderly and sick.
The Indian diplomats have visited hospitals in Mecca and other places to identify the bodies of Indians who died in the mishap. Ansari said the officials were trying to determine the name and other details of the dead and the injured.
In a related move, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee directed Indian Embassy officials in Saudi Arabia to provide assistance to Indian pilgrims.
The Indian Government has sent 251 doctors and para-medical staff and 150 administrative staff to attend to the injured.
Though officials were putting the toll at 150,unofficial reports from Saudi claimed that the toll might rise further as reports were still trickling in from hospitals.
It is reported that 600 pilgrims were missing from their camps, but a good number of them were traced and were being sent back to their complexes from Mecca. However, officials are hopeful that almost all of them would be back in Mecca in a day or two. ``There is nothing new in it,'' an official said.
With about 2.3 million pilgrims converging at the holy site, Haj constitutes one of the largest religious congregations in the world and hence one of the most difficult to manage.
Meanwhile, the Indian consulate in Saudi Arabia has so far identified 13 of the 24 Indians killed. The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has released the following details about seven Indian victims.
1.Palikalakath Abdul Ahmed, (pilgrim pass no: 35046), 45 yrs (Mumbai) 2. Fatma Bee, (no: 32572), 32 yrs (MP) 3. Ayesha Bee, w/o Syed Sher Ali (no: 544254) 4. Jameeludden Tamizudeen, (no:5012900) 5. Mohsin Ali Siddiqui, (no: 933700) 6. Bibi Batul, w/o Neaz Ahmad (no: 30405), 60 yrs (MP) 7. Mohd Sharif Khan, (no: 14810), 70 yrs (MP).
Since many of the bodies are without any identification, consulate officials in Saudi Arabia would make a building-wise search for a determination and visit Mecca to identify them.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
