[caption id="attachment_84502" align="alignleft" width="300"] A security man pours water on a pilgrim exhausted from the searing heat in Mina on Tuesday. — SPA [/caption]By Badea Abu Al-Naja MINA — Pilgrims on Tuesday felt rejuvenated after completing all important Haj rituals. "I really feel very fresh after I shaved my hairs and took shower. I feel spiritually revivified," said a pilgrim from India. On Tuesday, the first of the three Tashriq days, Hajis threw pebbles at the three walls symbolizing the Satan, beginning with the small Jamarat and ending with the largest one (Jamrat Al-Aqaba). They threw seven stones at each replica. They collected the pebbles from Muzdalifa where Makkah Municipality had prepared 500,000 cloth sacks each containing stones which were enough for use by three pilgrims. Some pilgrims left Mina before sunset Tuesday and went to Makkah to perform the farewell Tawaf, circumambulation around the Kaaba. Spokesman of the Interior Ministry Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said that so far no untoward incident has been reported. The ascent from Mina to Arafat and Muzdalifah then back to Mina was smooth, easy and safe, he added. He said that more than 100,000 security men guarded the pilgrims in Makkah and the Holy Sites. Turki said Street No. 204 in Mina, which witnessed a deadly stampede last year, was calm and serene this year. "The traffic on all the streets in Mina leading to the Jamarat area was smooth and easy. There were no obstructions or bottlenecks," he said. Col. Sami Al-Shuwairikh, in charge of information at the General Security, said 54 fake Haj campaigns were uncovered. He said a total of 426,683 people who tried to enter Makkah and the Holy Sites without Haj permits were stopped at numerous police checkpoints. Shuwairikh said 171,246 vehicles carrying illegal pilgrims were also sent back. Commander of the Jawazat (Department of Passports) Haj Forces Maj. Gen. Daifullah Al-Huwaifi said a total imprisonment sentences of 1,425 days were issued against a number of Saudi and expatriate drivers who attempted to transport undocumented pilgrims to the Holy Sites. He said they were also fined a total sum of SR5.8 million. Daifullah said each motorists would have to pay a fine of SR50,000 for each violating pilgrim in addition to six month imprisonment. He said expatriate drivers would face the same sentences in addition to deportation and a 10-year ban from entering the Kingdom. Spokesman of the Health Ministry Mishaal Al-Rubaiaan said that no contagious diseases were so far reported among pilgrims. He said the ministry has established 16 health centers at the Jamarat area — four in each level — to deal promptly with emergency cases. The spokesman said that as many as 281,439 pilgrims received medical treatment at the government hospitals in Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites. He said 2,454 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals, 1,634 kidney dialyses were made, 25 open heart surgeries conducted, 18 pilgrims were treated against sunstroke and 87 against heat exhaustion. The World Health Organization (WHO) in a report said that the Kingdom has deployed 26,000 medical cadres to extend health services to pilgrims in 25 hospitals and 158 health centers. Spokesman of the Red Crescent Authority Bandar Baraheem, said they received about 24,000 calls for help and dealt with 7,000 cases in the Holy Sites.
