Mecca stampede: We will provide all help to Indian nationals, says Sushma Swaraj

Delhi: After the stampede tragedy in Saudi Arabia, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday that the government would provide all help to Indian nationals.

She also informed that two officials had reached the site of accident and the government was in constant touch with the Indians.

The emergency numbers in Mecca given by the Indian government is as follows – 00966125458000, 00966125496000.

The oll free number for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia has been given as – 8002477786.

We will provide all help to Indian nationals.Two of our officials have reached the site of accident. We are in constant touch with them.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 24, 2015

Our emergency Nos in Mecca : 00966125458000 00966125496000 Toll free number for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia : 8002477786— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 24, 2015

More than 700 people of different nationalities were killed and over 800 others injured in a stampede today when Haj pilgrims jostled their way to perform symbolic stoning of the devil in Mina, marking the culmination of the annual pilgrimage, as per PTI.

A sudden surge in the number of pilgrims heading to Jamarat for symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls resulted in the stampede at 9 AM local time (1130 IST), the state-run Saudi Press Agency said.

It said that the stampede occurred at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, as per PTI.

This is the second worst incident in 25 years to hit the annual pilgrimage.

In 1990, a stampede inside tunnel leading to holy sites killed 1,426 pilgrims.

(With PTI inputs)