‘Haste in ritual led to death’

Haj pilgrim from Kozhikode district is among the victims who were trampled to death at the fatal stampede in Mina on Sunday. Purayilthodiyil Muhammed Musaliyar, 40, a native of Katharammal near Koduvally in the district and Laila Kismath, 23, a native of Manjeri, was injured.

Based on the information available from Haj volunteers in Mina, district collector T.O. Sooraj, who is also the executive secretary of the State Haj Committee, said Muhammed had gone for casting pebbles at pillars representing the Devil, hours before the time scheduled by the Kerala pilgrims to do so. The pilgrims from the state had planned to go for the ritual at noon. Musaliyar was a teacher with the Hidayathul Sibiyan Madrassa at Kattharammal.

He is survived by wife Subaida and five children. He had left for Mecca on January 9 from Karipur. Family sources said this was Muhammed’s second Haj pilgrimage, the first journey being in 1990. Muhammed’s funeral will be held in Saudi Arabia.