Man dies during Friday namaaz in Maharashtra

An elderly man suddenly collapsed and died while offering prayers during Friday namaz at a mosque in Mira Road of Thane district in Maharashtra Friday afternoon, local people said.

The incident happened in the Gazala Mosque of the Muslim-dominated Nayanagar area of Mira Road, around 10 km north-west of state capital Mumbai.

"There was a huge rush on account of the last day of Moharram in the mosque. The elderly man was offering namaaz along with many others. He suddenly collapsed and is believed to have died on the spot," Aziz Malik, who runs a website, www.theurdunews.com, said.

No identification papers, mobile phone or other belongings were found; nor has anybody come searching for him. The man appeared to be at least 60 years old, Malik said.

The body was kept at a clinic run by S.A. Parkar near the mosque. Local people and social workers are looking for the family of the man, Malik said.

Announcements on loudspeakers are also being made in the mosque and its neighbourhood, to alert the general public and possibly also reach his family.