A stampede at a temple in southern India’s Andhra Pradesh state has killed at least nine people and injured others, according to officials.

The incident took place as worshippers crowded into the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibuga to observe a Hindu religious ceremony on Saturday.

“An inquiry will be conducted into the tragic incident,” said Pawan Kalyan, the state’s deputy chief minister, putting the death toll at nine.

The deceased include eight women and a young boy. At least one more person was seriously injured.

According to local officials and media, nearly 25,000 people gathered at the venue, far more than the temple was equipped to handle.

There were no separate entry and exit points, and there was reportedly chaos when a railing collapsed under crowd pressures as devot

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