— PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

TRAGEDY AMD AGONY: Mohd. Tajuddin, younger brother of Mohd. Bahauddin, who lost his life in Thursday's stampede at Mina in Saudi Arabia, being consoled by a relative in Hyderabad on Friday.

DUBAI: Twentynine Indians, including 17 women, were among those killed in the stampede at Mina in Saudi Arabia during the Haj stoning ritual on Thursday. (PTI said on Friday night that 31 Indians were killed.)

Of the 15 injured, eight have been discharged from hospital.

Of the Indians killed, 12 were from Uttar Pradesh, four from Andhra Pradesh, three each from Kerala and Maharashtra, two each from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, one was from West Bengal and two were residents of Saudi Arabia.

Consul-General of India Ausaf Sayeed, told The Hindu over telephone from Mecca that the final figure could vary marginally, as identification of the bodies was not over.

Also, many Indians were yet to return to their transit accommodation in Mecca.

The final death toll could emerge only after a headcount, he said.

Burial in Mecca likely

Most of the dead were likely to be buried in Mecca but bodies could be sent to India if there was any request, Mr. Sayeed said. Contacts with the next of kin might not prove difficult, as relatives had accompanied most of the dead.

The presence in Saudi Arabia of Ministers in charge of Haj affairs from Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka might facilitate arrangements, Mr. Sayeed said.

Indian Haj Committee chairman Tanveer Ahmed, who is in Mina, said the next of kin of the 27 killed would receive a compensation of Rs. 3 lakh each.

Denial by officials

Saudi officials have denied that the police could have done more to prevent the stampede, in which 363 persons died.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said more deaths could have occurred had there been tighter controls.

AP reports from Mecca:

The Saudi Interior Ministry said the pilgrims were squeezed in at the entrance to a holy site, when about a dozen stumbled on baggage, tripping others behind them. ``Security forces were alerted to the incident immediately once it was seen through observation cameras, and moved in within two minutes,'' Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said at a news conference.

He said that of those killed, 203 have been identified — 118 men and 85 women. Some 289 people were injured. ``We try to get rid of the baggage ... but not every group of pilgrims complies. So we see a lot of umbrellas and belongings. This leads to a great deal of stumbling among pilgrims. There are people carrying plastic bags, water bottles. That can lead to people stumbling.''

Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdel-Aziz said police prevented the death toll from being even higher. ``Those who know the facts know the security forces prevented many things that could have taken more lives,'' he said, adding that a commission would study the accident and make recommendations for changes.

Pilgrims have complained that the some 60,000 security personnel deployed at the site were not working enough to direct crowds and ensure pilgrims are obeying regulations.

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