As many as 221 Indian pilgrims died during the Haj in 2007 due to natural causes, while six others were killed in road accidents.

An Indian official said that India had sent 1.57 lakh pilgrims that included 1.1 lakh who came through the Haj Committee of India, while the rest arrived through the travel operators from various Indian cities.

Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Indian Haj consul, said that so far, around 20,000 pilgrims who came through the Haj committee had left.

Some 86 Indian pilgrims are still in hospitals receiving treatment for various aliments, he was quoted as saying in Arab News.

Indonesians, followed by Indians, top the list of pilgrims who died during the Haj. The Indonesian consulate-general in Jeddah announced 317 pilgrims had died in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

According to a report from the Central Haj Committee in Makkah, most of the deaths during the pilgrimage were due to natural causes. The report said that 778 traffic accidents were reported during the season.

Overall, 11,700 pilgrims were admitted to different hospitals due to accidents and various illnesses, out of which 10,900 were discharged. More than 800 pilgrims are still recuperating in hospitals.