The Hindu : 244 pilgrims killed in Haj stampede

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 02, 2004

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244 pilgrims killed in Haj stampede

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA, FEB. 1. Two hundred and forty-four Haj pilgrims were killed today in a stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, the Minister in charge of the annual event, Iyad Madani, said. The dead include two Indians — Mohammad Ali, 40, from Kozhikode in Kerala and Ghulam Mohamed Mir, 40, from Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the Saudi Minister, an equal number of pilgrims have been injured. He, however, did not reveal the nationalities of those killed, but said that the stampede lasted 27 minutes.

The incident occurred when a crowd of pilgrims gathered at the 15-metre Jamarat Bridge in Mina, close to Mecca, to throw stones at a pillar that symbolises the devil. As rescuers went to the scene, security officials attempted to control the crowds to prevent more people from being trampled.

"Some pilgrims were not organised and there was a crush this morning by people carrying personal belongings which caused obstacles [to movement]," Mr. Madani said.

He pointed out that the flow of pilgrims to the Jamarat Bridge was smooth between midnight on Saturday and 8.30 a.m. on Sunday before the stampede began.

Despite the tragedy, the ceremony of the stoning of the devil, the last religious rite of the pilgrimage, was not disrupted, Saudi officials said.

The feast of Id al-Adha follows the traditional ritual. Nearly two million people from across the globe have participated in this year's Haj.

Tragedy has struck the pilgrimage on several occasions in the past. Thirty-five persons had died while participating in the same ritual near Jamarat Bridge in 2002. Fourteen pilgrims were killed last year, while 270 died in similar circumstances close to the spot in 1994. In 1987, 400 people, mostly Shias from Iran, were killed during clashes with Saudi security forces.

This year's pilgrimage was conducted under a massive security blanket as attacks by the Al-Qaeda terror network on the worshippers were suspected.

Stressing moderation in his Id al-Adah sermon, the Imam of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Sudeis, said that Islam was a tolerant religion and urged its followers to denounce terrorism and violence. "Islam seeks moderation ... Those who deviate from moderation and try to incite Muslims against their rulers are seeking discord and anarchy through destruction, terrorism, bombings and shedding the blood of Muslims and those under the protection of the state," he said.

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