THREE Muslim pilgrims were killed and 500 others suffered light injuries as they jostled to perform the ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual near Mecca, Saudi newspapers reported today.
The crush was triggered by the arrival of ‘a large number of African pilgrims carrying their personal belongings’ at the site of the stoning in Mina called the ‘jamarat’, the daily Okaz said.

The paper quoted Saudi Health Minister Hamad bin Abdullah al-Mane as saying that a number of pilgrims also fell down as a result of the scramble to stone three concrete blocks symbolising the devil.