A crowd surge at a popular Hindu temple in southern India left at least 12 people dead and dozens injured, local authorities said Saturday. The death toll rose from nine to 12 people on Saturday, CBS News confirmed.

The incident occurred at the Swamy Venkateswara Temple in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh state where hundreds of devotees had gathered to mark one of Hinduism's sacred days, "Ekadashi," senior police officer K. V. Maheswra Reddy told the Associated Press.

On this day, the devotees fast and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu, a key Hindu deity known as the preserver and protector of the universe, according to BBC News.

An initial investigation suggests that an iron grille meant to maintain the queue of worshippers at the temple broke, leading to the uncontrolled cro

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