14 Indians among 719 people killed in Haj stampede

Fourteen Indians were dead and 13 others injured in the grisly stampede at the Haj as the death toll in the worst tragedy to hit the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia in 25 years rose to 719.
Another 863 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred yesterday as two million pilgrims from 180 countries were taking part in the Hajj's last major rite.
Over 1.5 lakh Indians are taking part in this year's Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam that should be performed at least once in lifetime by every Muslim who is financially and physically capable.

The crush occurred after two massive lines of pilgrims converged on each other from different direction at an intersection close to the five-storey Jamarat Bridge in Mina for symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls.
Authorities had yesterday said that four Indians, including a woman and a volunteer, were killed in the stampede which occurred at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five kilometres from Makkah.
But the number of Indians who died in the stampede rose to 14 today.

"Our consul general Jeddah reports loss of 14 Indian lives in stampede," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

Thirteen Indians were among over 800 people injured in the tragedy, she said.
"The exact number will be known after confirmation by Saudi authorities," she further said.