India Shining: India temple stampede kills eight

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India temple stampede kills eight


At least eight people have been killed and 10 injured in a stampede at a Hindu temple in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, officials say.

The incident happened in the remote Karila village, 260km (160 miles) from the state capital Bhopal.

The stampede occurred as thousands of devotees were making their way into the temple during an annual fair.

In January 2005, 265 pilgrims were killed in a stampede near a temple in the western Maharashtra state.

"It was simply an accident as people who attempted to enter the temple by climbing over a railing fell," senior government official Geeta Mishra was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying.

The stampede took place late on Wednesday. The temple has since re-opened.

The BBC's Faisal Mohammad Ali in Bhopal says the temple draws a large number of pilgrims from the neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/7315942.stm

Published : 2008/03/27 07:08:59 GMT

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