Dozens dead after stampede at religious event in northern India

At least 107 people were crushed to death at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, with many others injured, a senior government official has said.

A large crowd had gathered near the city of Hathras for a sermon by a popular preacher on Tuesday but a fierce dust storm sparked panic as people were leaving.

Many were crushed or trampled, falling on top of each other, with some collapsing into a roadside drain in the chaos.

"The attendees were exiting the venue when a dust storm blinded their vision, leading to a melee and the subsequent tragic incident," said Chaitra V., divisional commissioner of Aligarh city in Uttar Pradesh state, told AFP.

"We... are focusing on providing relief and medical aid for the victims," she added.

Hours after the tragedy, she told reporters the toll had surged past a hundred.

"Initial information.. is that 107 people have died," she told reporters.

Unverified videos on social media showed bodies piled up on the ground outside a local hospital.

Separately, Umesh Kumar Tripathi, chief medical officer, told reporters the dead were 25 women and two men.

"Many injured have also been admitted," Tripathi said.

"The primary reason is a stampede during a religious event."

Deadly stampedes

Deadly accidents are common at places of worship in India during major religious festivals.

At least 112 people were killed in 2016 after a huge explosion caused by a banned fireworks display at a temple marking the Hindu new year.

The blast ripped through concrete buildings and ignited a fire at a temple complex in Kerala state, where thousands had gathered.

Another 115 devotees died in 2013 after a stampede at a bridge near a temple in Madhya Pradesh.

Up to 400,000 people were gathered in the area and the stampede occurred after a rumour spread that the bridge was about to collapse.

About 224 pilgrims died and more than 400 others were injured in a 2008 stampede at a hilltop temple in the northern city of Jodhpur.