India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh visits an injured Indian pilgrim at King Abdullah Medical Complex in Jeddah on Tuesday.

The Indian government has sought the help of the Saudi Health Ministry to find 59 Indian pilgrims who went missing following the stampede in Mina during the Haj this year.

The request was made by Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh to Health Minister Khalid Al-Falih during their meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Singh said the Saudi government has been very helpful. “They have assured us of all help and informed us that all those who died have either been fingerprinted or DNA-profiled,” he told reporters at a press conference in Jeddah. “The purpose of my visit is to sensitize the Saudi government to the need to focus on finding the missing pilgrims.”

Singh said he was informed by the Saudis that since many bodies were not in a good condition, they were buried in keeping with Islamic traditions. “I am told that Muslims consider it a blessing to be buried in the holy land and therefore many relatives of those Indians who died did give their consent for the burial of their loved ones here in the holy land,” he said.

He was told that in cases where the bodies were in a bad shape, “there was not much that could have been done except immediate burial with full Islamic honor.”

Singh said 77 Indian pilgrims died in the accident. Twenty-one are still receiving treatment at various hospitals. He said the Saudi government had responded positively when asked to help relatives of the dead to travel to the Kingdom so that they can pay their final respects.

Singh later visited Indian pilgrims at King Abdullah Medical Complex in Jeddah where some of them are being treated. “The Saudis are taking good care of the injured,” he said.

On how the fate of 59 missing pilgrims can best be described, Singh said: “There is a military term we use in such cases: Missing, presumed dead.”

The Indian minister said he requested the health minister to provide conclusive evidence of those who died. “Which they have, in the form of articles found on the dead bodies. They have even taken photographs, fingerprints, DNA profiles. The pilgrims were buried in separate and marked graves in Mina.”

Singh said his visit was to complement the good work done by the Indian Consulate in Jeddah led by Consul General B.S. Mubarak.

He said the health minister told him that the inquiry into what led to the stampede was under way and would be made public once completed. “We trust the Saudi government and realize that the Haj is a big event involving millions. I am confident that they will draw the right lessons from this tragedy,” he said.

India’s Minister of State Gen. V.K. Singh and Health Minister Khalid Al-Falih at the Health Ministry HQ in Jeddah on Tuesday.

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