The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)

98 Indians, including 14 from Kerala, died during Haj: MEA

AS MANY as 98 Indians, including 14 from Kerala, who had gone for the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca, have died due to natural causes, chronic illnesses, old age and accidents, MEA’S official Spokespers­on said Friday.

The MEA Spokespers­on Randhir Jaiswal said, “Every year a large number of pilgrims from India attend Haj, and some of them unfortunat­ely pass away during the Haj period. This year, 1.75 lakh Indian pilgrims visited Mecca for Haj.” The Haj period is from May 9 to July 22.

“The deaths have been due to natural causes, chronic illnesses, and old age. Six people died on the Day of Arafah and four were accident-related deaths. Last year, total deaths during the Haj period were 187,” he said.

Among the 14 from Kerala who died, five were women, according to state Haj committee officials. In line with the tradition, their bodies will be buried in Saudi Arabia.

Khairunnee­sa, 57, a native of Kannapuram in Kannur, had gone for the pilgrimage with his son Rayees “They went for Haj on June 7 from Kerala. The mother started feeling uneasiness at Arafat and later at a hospital,” said Rafi, her son.

Shamsudhee­n, 65, a native of Edakkazhiy­oor in Thrissur, is suspected to have died due to heatwave two days before the Haj. His family members were in the Middle East for the burial, said a family source.

With the Union Health Ministry releasing a document on the medical care arrangemen­ts made for the pilgrims, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra Friday said that about 40,000 people over the age of 60 are undertakin­g Haj this year.

India has set up three medical centres in Mecca totalling 100 beds, of which one 30-bed centre is for women only. There are also 15 small dispensari­es with a dental clinic in Mecca and one dispensary at the Haj Terminal of Jeddah airport. At Medina, there is one 20-bed medical centre and 3 dispensari­es. Medical emergency camps have been set up in Arafat and core ritual site of Mina and mobile medical teams have been deployed in Jamaraat and Muzdalifah — all along the pilgrimage route.