Jodhpur temple stampede 'kills 100'

At least 100 worshippers are reportedly killed and over 250 injured in yet another temple stampede on Tuesday at the Chamunda Devi temple in the historic city of Jodhpur.

According to sources, thousands of people had assembled near the temple in Mehrangarh in west Rajasthan to offer prayers in the first day of the annual nine-day Navratra festival.

As reports are coming from the city, many of the victims are men, as there was a separate queue for women, who were trampled to death that was caused by the breaking of a barricade at around 5:30 in the morning.

The injured were rushed to the nearest Mahatma Gandhi Hospital and rescue operation is still on to provide medical facilities to all.

Soon after the incident, the temple has been closed for the public.

Temple stampede in India is not uncommon, which completely reflects the administrative fault in the absence of any proper planning to manage such a massive crowd, especially in the festive season.

Last month on Aug 3, over 160 people died when a stampede occurred at the famous Naina Devi Temple in Himachal Pradesh.

In a similar temple stampede in January 2005, at least 265 people were killed at Kalubai temple in Mandradevi, Maharastra.