At least 145 people, mostly women and children, have been crushed to death in a stampede at a temple in northern India.
Iron railings around the Hindu temple in the state of Himachal Pradesh broke, causing panic, with people trampling over falling women and children.
Children were among the first to fall to the ground and were trampled by pilgrims running to safety, even as their parents tried to save them, police officers said.
Thousands of worshippers had gathered at the temple in Bilaspur district to pray to a Hindu goddess during an annual festival.
More than 3,000 people were trying to get into the temple at the same time when part of the iron railing broke, officials said.
Most of the worshippers were from the neighbouring state of Punjab, they said.
Stampedes at temples are not uncommon in India where thousands of people gather to pray during festivals. In 2005, about 265 pilgrims were killed in a stampede near a temple in the western state of Maharashtra.
