At least 87 people are believed to have died in a mass panic during a Hindu gathering in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, broadcaster NDTV reported.
The stampede occurred in a village in Hathras district, about 200 kilometers southeast of the capital New Delhi. According to authorities, a crowd of thousands of people had gathered in an open area after a local religious leader called for it.
District police spokesman Manish Chikara put the death toll at around 60, but said the number could rise.
Videos on social media showed bodies piled up on the ground outside a local hospital.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the images.
“The incident occurred due to overcrowding at the time when people were trying to leave the venue,” Ashish Kumar, district administrator of Hathras, told reporters.
An unidentified witness told India Today that there was a narrow exit at the venue: “As we tried to walk towards a field, a commotion suddenly broke out and we didn’t know what to do.”
With over 200 million inhabitants, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India.
Its Prime Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered an investigation.
“Instructions have been given to the relevant officials to carry out relief and rescue operations in a state of war and to provide appropriate treatment to the injured,” he posted on X.