Two Bengalureans among hundreds who died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia
Bengaluru (PTI): Two pilgrims from Bengaluru are among the hundreds of people who died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced intense high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, officials said on Thursday.
The deceased have been identified as Kouser Rukhsana (69) and Abdul Ansari (54), residents of RT Nagar and Frazer Town, respectively, they said.
Due to the intense heatwave, the two pilgrims from Bengaluru, like many other nationals, died of dehydration and sunstroke.
"The tragedy occurred when the pilgrims were reportedly taking part in the Ramy al-jamarat (stoning of the devil) ritual at Mina valley located on the outskirts of Mecca," S Sarfaraz Khan, Executive Officer of the Karnataka State Haj Committee, told PTI.
Citing the customs and agreements with the Saudi Arabian government, he said bodies of the pilgrims who die during the pilgrimage are not brought back to their native place.
"So, bodies of both Rukhsana and Ansari have been buried there by the authorities concerned and death certificates will also be handed over to their spouses," Khan said.
According to him, both the victims, along with other pilgrims, were scheduled to return here on June 22.
This year, the state government received close to 13,500 applications, out of which over 10,300 people undertook Hajj pilgrimage.
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J&K: One dead, seven hospitalised after consuming wild vegetable in Rajouri
Rajouri/Jammu (PTI): One person died while seven others, mostly children, were hospitalised after allegedly consuming a wild vegetable in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, officials said on Saturday.
The incident was reported from Mohra village in the Kotranka subdivision, where members of two families consumed a wild vegetable following which they started showing symptoms of food poisoning on Friday evening, they said.
The affected persons were initially shifted to the Community Health Centre in Kandi and later referred to the Government Medical College Hospital Rajouri for specialised treatment.
Officials said an elderly man, identified as Mohammad Hussain (60), died during treatment, while seven other members of the two families are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
“Prima facie, it is a case of food poisoning, but the matter is still under investigation,” a doctor said.
Officials said an investigation into the incident has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the poisoning.
