At least 60 die in Indian temple stampede

March 4, 2010 At least 60 people died and several others were injured in a stampede at a temple in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. The incident occurred when the gates of a Hindu temple collapsed, according to police officials.

At least 25 others were injured in the disaster. Some of them were said to be critical. The devotees had assembled at a religious feast or "bhandara" was organized by Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj in the Ram Janaki temple, located in the town of Kunda in Pratapgarh district. The lunch would have been followed by a free clothes distribution, according to sources. Over thousand had assembled in the temple for the luncheon without proper arrangement, according to Government sources.

Sources say the stampede occurred when a temporary tin shed caved in and a gate of the temple collapsed. Over 30 people are trapped in the debris; rescue work by police and administrative officials is underway.

"Sixty bodies had been recovered and more could have been killed in the tragedy in Mangarh area of Pratapgarh district's Kunda town, about 180 km from here," said Brij Lal, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order). According to Lal, the deaths and injuries occurred mainly due to the collapse of the gate.

"During the event the temple's concrete gate collapsed leaving 20 people dead and around 25 people injured. The accident did not have anything to do with stampede," said he. The death toll increased to 60 and is expected to surge even more.