Srinagar: At least ten people from J&K were among more than 900 people from around the world who died during this year’s Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia marked by searing heat, reports said.
10 pilgrims from J&K who died include six from Srinagar, two from Kulgam and one each from Baramulla and Jammu.
The deceased pilgrims from Srinagar include Jana Begum of Check Lachmanpora Karewa Damodar; Manzoor Ahmad Rangrez of Fair Bank Colony Rawalpora; Rifat of Fair Bank Colony Rawalpora, Tahira of Chattabal; and Sara Begum of Majeed Bagh Sanat Nagar.
Pilgrims from Kulgam include Hafeeza Bano of Kharbrari Yaripora; and Muneera Banoo of Hambatan Pora Okey Kulgam; while pigrims from Baramulla and Jammu include Bashir Ahmed Waza of Badambagh Sopore and Aziza Begum of Gujjar Nagar Jammu respectively.
Saudi state TV said temperatures on Monday rose as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Saudi Arabia has not officially provided information on fatalities, though it reported more than 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” on Sunday alone.
While deaths among pilgrims are not uncommon (there were more than 200 last year), this year’s gathering is being held amid particularly high temperatures.
Haj season changes every year according to the Islamic calendar, and this year, it fell in June, one of the hottest months in the kingdom.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia advised pilgrims against performing the “stoning of the devil” ritual between certain hours due to high temperatures.
Apart from rising temperatures, reports indicate that the Hajj authorities and the Saudi government have been criticized for their inadequate response to the crisis.
Videos circulating on social media platforms by pilgrims of several countries highlighted poor transportation and healthcare services, describing a situation of neglect and mismanagement.

Agencies