6600 people from K'taka to undertake Haj pilgrimage

Mysore, Nov 7 (UNI) Karnataka Wakf and Haj Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan today said 6,600 people have been selected from the State for Haj pilgrimage out of the 11,000 applications received this year, with priority given to first timers.

Inaugurating the day-long training and immunisation programme for Haj pilgrims of Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagara here, he said 778 pilgrims from the three districts would be leaving for Mecca from Bangalore on November 22, along with 478 pilgrims selected by the Karnataka State Haj Committee coming under the Wakf Board and 300 travelling through traval agencies.

Mr Khan said there was total transparency in the selection of Haj pilgrims and opportunity had been created for about 2,000 more people this year compared to last year.

A new software has been incorporated to prevent people from faking that it was their first time by taking photographs and fingerprints of the pilgrims, he said.

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