Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

 

MAKKAH — The number of Indian pilgrims who died in the Mina stampede rose to 34 and many others are still missing. There are 18 Pakistani pilgrims confirmed dead, according to the Pakistan Consulate General sources.



“Five more bodies have been identified on Sunday, and with this the death toll reached 34 and procedures are underway to find out how many missing pilgrims are there among the dead,” Indian Consul General B.S. Mubarak told Saudi Gazette. He declined to disclose the number or names of those missing until after having complete information. “There have been instances of some of the missing Hajis reaching their tents or located at hospitals,” he said.



The deceased Indian pilgrims include eight from the southern state of Kerala. Six bodies of Keralite pilgrims who came under a private group from Riyadh were buried in Mina on Saturday. They included Malappuram Chelembra Asarithodi Abdurahman (51), Pakallad Puthukkod Abdul Qader (62),  Quilon Kadaykal Zulfiqar Naeemi (32), Karunagappally Amina Beevi, and Kozhikode Feroke Muhammad Faaiz, one-and-a half-year old son of Muneer and Shahnas, who are still missing.



The pilgrims were buried at the cemetery close to the mortuary in Muaisem in Mina after funeral prayer at the mosque in the compound, said Shakir C.K., general convener of the Haj Cell of Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC). The dead body of Sajeev Habib, who also came from Riyadh was identified. Bodies of two more Keralites — Ponnani Puthuveettil Kunhimon and Kottakkal Pookkayil Muhammadkutty — were also identified on Sunday.



Those who took part in the identification and burial procedures included Indian Haj Mission officials as well as several volunteers and leaders of the community, including office-bearers of the KMCC Haj Cell such as K.P. Mohammed Kutty, Shakir C.K., Ahmad Palayatt, Aboobacker Arimbra, and Mujeeb Pukkottur.



Apart from the death of eight pilgrims, several Keralites are found missing and most of them came under the Riyadh private group. Their friends and relatives are carrying out frantic searches at the mortuary in Muaisem in Mina and various hospitals in Mina and Makkah.



Abdurahman had been working at a warehouse in Riyadh for 20 years. His wife Noorjahan, who accompanied him, escaped unhurt. Habeeb was a mechanic at a workshop in Shaqriya. Zulfiqar came from Riyadh under the private group. His father Abdul Kalam and mother Lailabeevi also accompanied him. Laila Beevi was missing while Abdul Kalam escaped unhurt. Zulfiqar’s pregnant wife and children who were in the Kingdom on a visit visa was sent back home Saturday. Amina Beevi was accompanied by her husband Muhammad Shafi during Haj. Shafi, manager with Herfy restaurant of Riyadh, is still missing.  



Malappuram Kottappadi Sameer, who came for Haj from Jeddah, also remains unaccounted for. His wife escaped the stampede miraculously. Sameer’s friends and relatives have been making extensive searches at hospitals and the holy sites but to no avail.