PhotoLUCKNOW, India — At least 24 people were killed and 20 others were injured in a stampede that occurred Saturday as worshipers were crossing a crowded bridge to reach a Hindu religious ceremony in northern India, the police said. The stampede took place on the outskirts of Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh, a state known for its temples. The stampede happened as the police started turning people back from the overcrowded bridge, Mr. Bahadur said, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. Nineteen people were killed at the scene, and five others died at a hospital, said Daljit Chaudhary, another police officer. Deadly stampedes are fairly common at Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas.

Source: New York Times October 15, 2016 16:56 UTC