Daily Okaz reported that no civilians were injured in the crash, while other videos posted on social media showed a number of people pushing the vehicle away from the mosque complex
Clarion India
JEDDAH – A driver rammed his car into the outer-perimeter gate of the Grand Mosque in Makkah late on Friday. According to local media, the incident did not cause any casualties. Videos posted on social media showed the car plowing through plastic barricades in the outer courtyard of the mosque before driving straight into one of the outer doors.
Saudi security authorities then arrested a man who was pulled from the car, state news agency Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Reports suggest the car was driven at high speed on a road surrounding the southern square the Grand Mosque, also known as Masjid Haramain, SPA added, quoting the official spokesman of Makkah region, Sultan Al-Dossari.
He said the incident happened at around 10:30 p.m.
#BREAKING: A #Saudi was arrested for crashing car in the outer courtyards of the Grand Mosque in #Makkah after losing control; no injuries reported — SPA pic.twitter.com/O323GGuyFW
— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) October 30, 2020
The driver of the car was a Saudi citizen who was “in an abnormal condition,” Arab News quoted investigators as saying.
Arabic daily Okaz reported that no civilians were injured in the crash, while other videos posted on social media showed a number of people pushing the vehicle away from the mosque complex.
Saudi Arabia’s state-run channel Saudi Qur’an continued to broadcast live video from inside the mosque during and after the incident.
The Grand Mosque resumed congregational prayers earlier this month after a seven-month hiatus amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
On Sunday, the kingdom will allow some foreigners to perform Umrah, a pilgrimage to the cities of Makkah and Madina that can be done at any time of the year.
Umrah has historically attracted millions of pilgrims from around the world, but because of Covid-19, Saudi authorities have said they would gradually phase in the number of pilgrims allowed into the two holy cities.
(With inputs from agencies)
