Jeddah, Oct 5 (IANS) Over 19,000 Indian Haj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage.


According to a release of the Consulate General of India here, a total of 19,549 pilgrims have arrived from India, of them 2,626 are in Makkah and 16,549 pilgrims are in Madina.

So far, 70 Haj flights have come from India.

Meanwhile, the first death of a Haj pilgrim has been reported from Madina. He has been identified as Farooqui Husain,70, son of Hafiz Anwar Husain Khan.

The Haj to Makkah, the holiest city for Muslims, at least once a lifetime, is obligatory in Islam.

Madina, the second most sacred city for Muslims, is the burial place of Prophet Mohammad and also has the three oldest mosques.