Gujral appoints parliamentary committee to probe haj fire

Sonny Abraham in Dubai

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral has deputed a three-member Parliamentary committee to Saudi Arabia to probe the causes of last Tuesday's fire in a haj pilgrims's encampment in Mina.

The committee will visit the kingdom from Friday, April 25, to suggest relief as well as preventive measures for the calamity, an external affairs ministry spokesman said.

The committee consists of Janata Dal MP M A Fatimi and Congress MP Begum Noor Bano. The third member is yet to be decided.

At least 343 people of various nationalities, mainly Indians, were killed and about 1,580 others injured in the blaze.

The authorities have identified 46 Indians so far, and 265 are still listed missing. Efforts are on to determine how many of them perished in the fire.

Sixteen of those listed missing on Sunday have returned safely, Indian Consul General in Jeddah Afzal Amanullah said.

One hundred and ninetyone Indians are now undergoing treatment for burns and injuries in hospitals. "Many of them are in serious condition," the official, who was part of the diplomatic team which visited Saudi Arabia after the fire, said. "Another 20 to 30 injured Indians who should have been admitted are waiting their turn, as there are not enough beds to go around."

The bodies of 16 Indian victims were buried on Tuesday -- 10 in Mina and the rest in Mecca.