In Kerala, the first group of Haj pilgrims from the state this year will embark for Jeddah from the Calicut International Airport, five minutes past midnight tonight.

166 pilgrims including 80 women will board the Air India Express inaugural flight from Calicut. The Haj camp at the Airport, which began this afternoon will continue till the 9th of next month.

This year, 17,883 pilgrims will perform the Haj, for which arrangements have been made through the Kerala Haj Committee.

Besides Kozhikode, Kochi and Kannur are the two other embarkation points for Haj pilgrims in the state.