A stampede at a religious gathering in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday has killed more than 100 people, according to local police.
The incident happened at a prayer meeting, known as a satsang, in the Mughal Garhi village in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said. The village is about 200 kilometres south-east of the capital, New Delhi.
Local police said at least 116 people had been killed, though that number may rise.
The bodies of at least 27 of the dead were taken to Etah district mortuary, according to Inspector General Shalabh Mathur, of the neighboring district Ambala Range, while the rest of the bodies are in Hathras, he said.
"The numbers may rise. People are being taken to hospitals in Hathras district and neighbouring district of Etah," Manish Chikara, Hathras district police spokesperson, told CNN.
Video distributed by Reuters showed crowds gathering outside a hospital in Etah alongside distraught relatives. Medical personnel could be seen carrying people on stretchers.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in an address in the lower house of India's bicameral parliament known as the Lok Sabha.
Modi said the government is engaged in "relief and rescue work" and is coordinating with the state government. "The victims will be helped in every way," he said.
Speaking to reporters, Ashish Kumar, the district magistrate of Hathras, said the stampede happened as people were leaving the event, which was held to celebrate the Hindu deity Shiva.
The district magistrate said police had given permission for the private event and officials were "put on duty for maintenance of law and order and security", but arrangements inside were handled by the organisers.
An investigation into the incident will be conducted by a newly formed high-level committee, he added.
