6700 selected for Haj pilgrimage from J&K

Srinagar: Over 6700 pilgrims have been selected for the annual Haj pilgrimage from Jammu and Kashmir this year, an official spokesman said here Wednesday. The state Haj Committee has received 27085 applications from intending pilgrims but the state has got a quota of 6730 seats for the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, he said.

Among the applicants this year, the spokesman said 5687 were selected under the reserve category A (pilgrims aged above 70 years) and the reserve category B (those who were not selected during the previous three straight years). For remaining 1043 seats, the pilgrims were provisionally selected on the basis of draw of lots, the spokesman said. The draw of lots was held at Hajj Committee of India Server in Mumbai, he said.