ASIA

Hyderabad Haj pilgrim dies in Makkah due to cardiac attack.

Anjali

A 69-year-old Haj pilgrim from Hyderabad passed away in the Aziziyah district of Makkah in Saudi Arabia on Friday, June 14, at 5:30 pm local time due to cardiac arrest. Tajuddin Mohammed, a resident of Rajendra Nagar, had traveled to the Kingdom with his wife Hussaini Begum to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage, starting on June 14. Tajuddin, along with other pilgrims, faced extreme heat of over 43 degrees Celsius while waiting outside building No. 466 for hours for the bus to Mina and missed Friday prayers.

A video shared by MBT leader Amjed Ullah Khan showed Tajuddin lying unconscious on the ground due to breathing issues, with another pilgrim administering CPR. Amjed Ullah criticized the Ministry for Minorities Welfare and Central Haj Committee for poor arrangements for the Haj-2024, highlighting the plight of Telangana Haj pilgrims at building No. 466. Tajuddin's death was confirmed by Amjed Ullah in a social media post, attributing it to negligence in arrangements.

Relatives of Tajuddin protested at Haj House in Nampally, expressing dissatisfaction with the inadequate facilities at certain hotels and the lack of proper medical care for elderly pilgrims in the Saudi heatwave. The Indian authorities have not yet officially reported the pilgrim's death.