Friday, January 13 2006 16:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dubai: At least 28 Indians, including 16 women, were among 362 Haj pilgrims killed in yesterday's (Jan 12,2006) stampede during the symbolic stoning ritual in Mina near Mecca.

Fifteen Indian devotees were also injured in the tragedy and of them eight have been discharged from various hospitals, Indian Consul General Ausaf Sayeed said over phone from Mina.

Among the dead, 12 were from Uttar Pradesh, three each from Maharashtra, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, two each from MP and Rajasthan and one from West Bengal, he said.

Two Indians based in Saudi Arabia were also among those killed.

The Indian Haj Committee will give a compensation of Rs three lakh each to the families of the 26 deceased who had gone there through it, the Committee Chairman Tanveer Ahmed told sources over phone from Mina.

Sayeed said efforts were on to take consent of kin of those killed for early burial of the deceased in Mecca.

He said teams of Indian Hajis and Indian officials had been formed to visit the relatives of those killed to offer assistance to them besides condolences.

A control room has been set up in the Mina Camp for the convenience of the pilgrims. Ten Branch dispensaries and the main hospital in Mecca have been put on alert.

Egypt accounted for the largest casualties of 100. At least 30 Pakistani pilgrims, four Chinese nationals and two Indonesians were also among those killed.

"We now have 362 dead," official sources in Mina said.

Sayeed said efforts were on to ascertain whether any Indian pilgrim was missing. "The picture will become clear when all the devotees return to Mecca after completing the stoning ritual, which still continues," he said.