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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Mangaluru: An international workshop on clinical neuroimmunology will be held in Mangaluru on March 7 and 8 at Avishkar Hall of KS Hegde Hospital, ABSMIDS.

The two-day academic programme is being organised by the Centre for Advanced Neurological Research of Nitte (Deemed to be University). The event is expected to bring together neurologists, clinicians and researchers from India and several other countries.

According to the organisers, the workshop aims to improve the diagnostic skills of practising neurologists through exposure to advanced imaging methods, visual diagnostic tools and biomarker analysis used in the diagnosis of neuroimmunological disorders.

The programme will feature hands-on training sessions and demonstration-based learning. Activities will include live Optical Coherence Tomography workshops, video-assisted demonstrations and interactive discussions with experts from Canada, the United States, South Asia and the UAE.

The workshop is being conducted under the leadership of Dr. Lekha Pandit, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Centre for Advanced Neurological Research at KS Hegde Medical Academy, Nitte (Deemed to be University), who is serving as the course director for the programme.


Dr. Asha Kishore, Director of the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Centre at Aster Medicity, Kochi, will inaugurate the workshop as the chief guest. The inaugural function will be presided over by Prof. M. S. Moodithaya, Vice-Chancellor of Nitte (Deemed to be University).

Registrar Dr. Harsha Halahalli and Dr. Sandeep Rai, Dean of KS Hegde Medical Academy, will also be present at the inaugural ceremony.