Eighteen Indians among those killed in Mecca stampede: MEA

"18 Indian Hajis have now been confirmed dead," said MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

 

Earlier, the MEA gave account of 14 Indians being killed.

The stampede happened at about 9 am in Mina at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five km from Mecca, where pilgrims "stone the devil" in a ritual by throwing pebbles at three large pillars.

The worst tragedy in 25 years at the annual Muslim pilgrimage spurred King Salman of Saudi Arabia to order "a revision" of Haj organisation while authorities started a probe into the disaster.

Mina is a camp city, a few kilometres from Mecca, where pilgrims from across the world stay for several days during the Haj in a complex of white fireproof tents big enough to hold more than two million people.

This is the second major disaster at Mecca this month after over 100 people were killed on September 12, when a construction crane crashed on the Grand Mosque. 

In 2006, 364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during the stoning ritual in Mina, among them 51 Indians.

Helpline numbers released by Government of India: 00966125458000, 00966125496000
Toll free number for pilgrims: 8002477786