Despite the unexpected delay over a thousand people from different parts of the coastal Karnataka were anxiously waiting for their Haji kin. Mangalore Airport authorities confirmed that a Nas Airlines flight carrying 160 pilgrims, landed at Mangalore Airport at 7:15 am.
Karnataka State Hajj Committee Chairman S Mohammed Ghouse Basha Ashrafi, Hajj Executive Committee President Yenepoya Mohammed Kunnhi, and fellow members Moidin Bava, Riyaz Bava, Basheer Ahmed were at the forefront to accord a warm welcome to the pilgrims.
Stranded in Jeddah
On their way back home after completing Hajj rituals, the first batch of Hajj pilgrims from Mangalore had got stranded at King Abdul Azeez International Airport at Jeddah for over 15 hours.
It is learnt that the repeated revision of flight schedule added to the woe of pilgrims.
Some pilgrims expressed severe displeasure over the irresponsibility of authorities, who failed to take care of them at Jeddah Airport.
The first batch of pilgrims was scheduled to reach Mangalore at 12:10 pm on Saturday.
One of the pilgrims complained that although their batch was taken to Jeddah Airport even before the scheduled time, they had to starve for many hours there amid the biting cold.
“Lack of arrangements at Jeddah angered many of the pilgrims”, said Mohammed Kunnhi.
An elderly Haji from Mangalore said that the pilgrims had to face many troubles in Jeddah and throughout their homecoming journey due to the irresponsibility and indifferent attitude of authorities. He said that apart from the unjustifiable delay in flight schedule, the pilgrims were not served food on time.
Another passenger said that he could not eat proper food during at Jeddah Airport. He said that some of his co-passengers were too hungry as they do not have the habit of eating strange foods.
Mr Ashrafi said that the irresponsibility on part of the authorities of Nas Airlines, which had taken the responsibility of dispatching the Hajj pilgrims to Mangalore, was main reason for their woes.
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