Mina, Saudi Arabia:
Eighteen Indians have died in the stampede outside the holy city of Mecca that killed over 700 Haj pilgrims from different countries two days ago.
"18 Indian Hajis have now been confirmed dead," said MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup.
The stampede happened at about 9 am (11.30 am IST) in Mina at the intersection of two streets leading to Jamarat, about five km from Mecca, where pilgrims "stone the devil" in a ritual by throwing pebbles at three large pillars.
Thursday's tragedy occurred outside the five-storey Jamarat Bridge, which was erected in the last decade at a cost of more than $1 billion and intended to improve safety.
The worst tragedy in 25 years at the annual Muslim pilgrimage spurred King Salman of Saudi Arabia to order "a revision" of Haj organisation while authorities started a probe into the disaster.
The interior ministry said it deployed 100,000 police to secure the Haj, maintain safety and manage traffic and crowds.
Mina is a camp city, a few kilometres from Mecca, where pilgrims from across the world stay for several days during the Haj in a complex of white fireproof tents big enough to hold more than two million people.
This is the second major disaster at Mecca this month after over 100 people were killed on September 12, when a construction crane crashed on the Grand Mosque. In 2006, 364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during the stoning ritual in Mina, among them 51 Indians.
Helpline numbers released by Government of India: 00966125458000, 00966125496000
Toll free number for pilgrims: 8002477786