More than 50 people were killed in a stampede at a religious gathering in northern India, officials have said.
The incident took place at a satsang (a Hindu religious event) in Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh state.
“A figure of nearly 50-60 deaths has been reported to me by doctors,” district magistrate of Hathras Ashish Kumar said.
The victims, including more than 20 women, are still being identified.
Mr Kumar said the stampede happened as people were leaving at the end of the event. He stated that a high-level committee had been formed to investigate the incident.
“The primary focus of the administration is to provide all possible help to the injured and kin of the deceased,” he said.
Crowds had gathered to celebrate the Hindu god Shiva in the city of Hathras, some 140 kilometers (87 miles) southeast of New Delhi.
The actual cause of the stampede remains unclear but local media have cited police sources as saying that hot and humid weather may have led to uncomfortable conditions, prompting panic.
“There was a huge crowd of [worshippers] gathered at the spot,” one victim told the Hindustan Times in a nearby hospital.
“There was no way out, and everybody fell on each other, and a stampede took place. When I tried to move out, there were motorcycles parked outside, which blocked my way. Many fainted while others died.”
A video shared by news agency PTI showed the wounded being brought to a hospital for treatment.
“Procedure of post-mortem is underway and the matter is being investigated,” official Satya Prakash in the neighboring district of Etah said.
