At least six people have been killed and more than 25 injured in a stampede at a Hindu temple in northern India.
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See subscription optionsThe incident in the pilgrimage city of Haridwar occurred on Sunday after a high-voltage electric wire reportedly fell on a temple path, triggering panic among the large crowd of devotees.
Vinay Shankar Pandey, a senior government official in Uttarakhand state where the incident happened, confirmed the deaths and said worshippers scrambled for safety following the incident.
Some 29 people were injured, according to Haridwar city's senior police official Pramendra Singh Doval.
Thousands of pilgrims had gathered at the Mansa Devi hilltop temple, which is a major site for Hindu devotees on festival days and weekends, local officials said.
They were celebrating the holy month of Shravan when someone in the crowd shouted about an electric current on the pathway.
"Since the path is narrow and meant only for foot traffic, confusion and panic spread instantly," local priest Ujjwal Pandit said.
"A wall along the path is also suspected to have worsened the crowd bottleneck."
Police and emergency services rushed to the scene and launched a rescue operation. The injured were transported to a nearby hospital, officials said.
"The situation is now under control, but the panic led to tragic consequences," Pandey said by phone from Haridwar.
Authorities are investigating what caused the overhead wire to collapse and whether proper crowd management protocols were in place.
The town of Haridwar draws millions of visitors each year.
The Mansa Devi temple, which is accessible by cable car or on foot, is a major pilgrimage site that draws thousands of visitors daily during Shravan.
Crowd surges at religious gatherings are not uncommon in India, where massive groups often congregate at temples or pilgrimage sites, sometimes overwhelming local infrastructure and security measures.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the victims and their families in a social media post and wished for a fast recovery for those who were injured.
Australian Associated Press
