By IANS
Kanpur : Two Haj pilgrims have died and another slipped into coma soon after their return from Mecca to this Uttar Pradesh city.
They had been admitted to different hospitals in the city after they showed signs of extreme exhaustion during the flight.
Septuagenarian Bibi Mariam of Becongunj died at a private hospital as her blood pressure shot up and she complained of weakness on Wednesday.
“Her condition deteriorated when she was onboard the plane; we received her at the Lucknow airport and rushed her straight to Tulsi hospital, where she died,” her son Mohammad Amin told this scribe.
Another pilgrim, Mohd Sabir, of Rizvi Road breathed his last at a local hospital. He had returned with two others from Mecca on Tuesday and was affected with high fever.
Salimunissan, 75, collapsed at the Amausi airport minutes later she cleared the security check. She is now in the Lala Lajpat Rai hospital in coma.
The family members of Haj pilgrims blame the mental agony caused by the Air India staff at the Jeddah Airport for the condition of the pilgrims.
The airlines demanded 13 riyals per kg of extra luggage, which the pilgrims could not afford. Many stayed at the airport for more than three days waiting for monetary help to come by. Others left for India leaving their luggage behind.
“For old and fragile women like mother, it was tiresome and she couldn’t bear the pressure,” said Salimunissan’s son Gulzar Ali. “We are going to lodge a formal complaint with A-I authorities.”
For the pilgrims who had gone through tiring religious regimen, the extreme hardships at the airport were too much to bear. “There is total chaos at the Jeddah airport,” said Surraiya Parveen, a pilgrim who returned four days ago and is still waiting for her luggage.
Social activists Rizwan Hamid and Shamin Azad met union Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal and briefed him about the ordeal the pilgrims went through. “The minister has assured us he will look into the matter,” Hamid, who is Jaiswal’s representative in the city, said.
Over 400 pilgrims from had gone from this city for Haj, the biggest Muslim religious congregation.