9 killed in stampede at religious festival in India : District official

PATNA, India (AFP) - A stampede at a religious celebration killed at least nine people, eight of them women, in eastern India on Monday, a district official said.

"Eight women and a man died during the stampede," Mr Rahul Purwa, deputy commissioner of Deoghar district, in Jharkhand state, told AFP.

The victims were among thousands of Hindu devotees who had gathered to take part in celebrations to mark the anniversary of the birth of Saint Thakur Anukul Chand. The stampede broke out while hundreds of devotees were gathered in a congested hall for early morning prayers, said Mr Purwa.

"I was informed by local police officials that the incident was the result of rumours spread by some devotees. The district administration is conducting a probe," he added. The injured were being treated in nearby hospitals. Stampedes often break out at religious events in India where policing and crowd control are often inadequate.