At least three women were killed and several pilgrims critically injured on Monday in a stampede at a famous Hindu temple in Rajasthan, western India.
Pandemonium broke out at the entrance of Khatu Shyam — a Lord Krishna temple — in Sikar, as pilgrims rushed to enter after the doors of the shrine were opened for a monthly fair early in the morning, police said.
“There were long queues outside the temple as devotees were waiting outside the entrance,” said Kunwar Rashtradeep, superintendent of police in Sikar. "As the gates opened, a stampede occurred in which three women were killed."
A woman, 63, with an underlying heart condition collapsed in the rush, while two more women behind her also fell and died. Three devotees were critically injured and rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, Mr Rashtradeep said.
Several others were discharged after treatment at a health centre near the temple.
Worshippers from various parts of the country visit the shrine in huge numbers every year, particularly now as Hindus are observing holy month.
Visitors often wait in long queues outside the temple overnight to catch a glimpse of the deity early in the morning. These queues can stretch for kilometres.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi grieved the loss of life and prayed for the recovery of those injured.
Stampedes at religious places are a common occurrence in India, as thousands of worshippers often gather at shrines where safety is slack.
Twelve pilgrims were killed and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in northern Jammu City in January. And 17 people were injured after a stampede during the distribution of coconuts at a religious programme in Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh, in May.
