4 Indians among 717 killed in Haj stampede in Saudi Arabia

At least 717 people, including four Indians, were killed and over 860 injured in a stampede during Haj here, in the second worst ever tragedy to hit the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The four Indians killed in the tragedy during the symbolic stoning of the devil, included a woman and a volunteer, Indian Consulate officials in Jeddah said. Two Indians were also injured. The Saudi civil defence authority said 717 pilgrims from different nationalities were killed and 863 others were injured in the stampede that took place due to a sudden surge in the number of pilgrims heading to Jamarat for symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls resulted in the stampede at 9 AM local time (1130 IST). The state-run Saudi Press Agency said the stampede occurred at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five kilometres from Makkah. Among the Indians killed was man from Kerala identified as Mohammed from Kodungaloor in Thrissur district, Kerala's Rural Development and Non Resident Keralite Affairs (NORKA) Minister K C Joseph said in Thiruvananthapuram.