At least six people lost their lives, and more than ten others sustained injuries following a deadly stampede at a well-known Hindu temple in northern India’s Uttarakhand state on Sunday, authorities have confirmed.

The tragic incident occurred on a stairway leading to the Mansa Devi temple, a revered pilgrimage site located in Haridwar, a sacred city along the banks of the Ganges River.

The crowd surge reportedly happened as devotees gathered in large numbers for religious rituals, causing chaos and crushing several people in the process.

“Six people have died, and over ten others have been hospitalized,” senior police officer Parmendra Dobhal told AFP.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that emergency response teams had been deployed to the scene. He assured the public that the situation was being closely monitored and that rescue efforts were ongoing.

“I’m in constant communication with the local administration, and every effort is being made to manage the situation,” the Chief Minister said in a statement.

Stampedes during religious gatherings are sadly not uncommon in India, where massive crowds often overwhelm limited infrastructure at temples and festival venues.

Similar tragedies have been reported in recent months. In June, a sudden crowd surge during a Hindu festival in Odisha state led to the deaths of at least three people.

In May, six others died during a fire-walking ritual in Goa, when thousands thronged the area, triggering a fatal crush.

And in January, a pre-dawn stampede at the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj claimed the lives of at least 30 devotees.

Authorities have yet to release the full details of Sunday’s incident in Haridwar, but officials are urging caution and better crowd control measures as pilgrims continue to flock to religious sites across the country.