Mecca: Even as Muslim pilgrims wrapped up the Hajj in the deadly summer heat on Tuesday June 18 with the third day of the symbolic stoning of the devil, over 500 pilgrims reportedly died amid the rituals due to excessive heat related problems. A purported video is doing rounds on social media, with @navalkant claiming, "Dead bodies everywhere on the road of Mecca... 22 Haj pilgrims have died so far due to the heat of the sun. The bodies of the recently dead people were kept on the roadside in Mecca. The Saudi government is being criticized for keeping the bodies on the roadside in the sun." The authenticity of the video could not be immediately confirmed.
Watch the video here:
Media reports said that over 500 pilgrims lost their lives amid Hajj in Mecca as they suffered from heat related ailments arising due to scorching temperatures that crossed 50 degrees.
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is believed to be a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that is expected to be ideally be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home. The three-day stoning ritual in Mina, a desert site outside Mecca, is among the final rites of the pilgrimage and symbolizes the casting away of evil and after that the pilgrim leave for Madina for further prayers.
Haj is one of the world's largest religious gatherings
The Haj is one of the world's largest religious gatherings and the major annual event in Saudi Arabia.
As per a report of ANI, "This year, Saudi Arabia is experiencing excessive heat throughout the five-day pilgrimage, with temperatures hitting 48 degrees Celsius in Mecca. The Saudi army has also dispatched over 1,600 soldiers, including medical units specialised for heatstroke and 30 rapid response teams, according to CNN. Another 5,000 health and first aid volunteers are taking part. Saudi Arabia has committed billions of dollars over the last decade to improve transportation, technology, and accommodations for Haj pilgrims, which are a major source of revenue for the world's largest oil producer."
