Stampede at Indian temple kills 10; dozens injured

A stampede left at least 10 people dead early Monday morning during religious celebrations in eastern India, authorities said.

Fifty others were injured in the stampede at a Hindu temple in Jharkhand state, according to CNN affiliate CNN-IBN.

The stampede occurred at predawn hours as crowds tried to jump queues to get closer to the temple, district administration officials told national news agency NDTV.

Thousands of devotees flock to the temple every August to offer holy water from the Ganges River to Lord Shiva, according to the national news agency.

Stampedes are a frequent occurrence during Indian religious festivals.

Last month, dozens died in a stampede at a riverside religious festival in southern India. During that festival, crowds gather at a river bank as part of a 12-day Hindu bathing ceremony dedicated to river worship.

In 2013, more than 100 people died during a stampede on a bridge as pilgrims headed to a temple for a Hindu festival. A rumor that the bridge was about to collapse caused panicked people to stampede.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com