Sunday, January 15 2006 09:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dubai: With 203 of 363 people killed in Friday's stampede during Hajj in Mina near Mecca having been identified, Indians accounted for the highest number of 51 dead in the tragedy.

As the identification process continued, authorities did not rule out the number of dead Indians going up.

At least seven pilgrims remained missing and efforts were on to trace them, Indian Consul General Ausaf Sayeed told sources over phone from Mecca.

The Indian Consulate also began the process of burying the dead, with the last rites of four performed, he said, adding the Mission had issued 25 No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) needed for the burial.

Of the 51 dead the maximum number of 22 belonged to Uttar Pradesh, he said.

Five each dead were from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, four were from Maharashtra, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, two from Rajasthan and one each from West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.

The dead included three couples from Uttar Pradesh and one from Kerala.

Addresses of two could not be ascertained, he said. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said 42 of those killed were the Hajj pilgrims while others were Indians staying or working in the Gulf.

At least 42 of the dead, including 24 women, had gone for the pilgrimage through the Hajj Committee of India and three through private operators.