91 dead as bridge collapses near Hindu temple during holy Dussehra festival in India

At least 91 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a stampede after a bridge collapsed near a remote Hindu temple in India.

People walk past bodies of victims killed in a stampede on a bridge, near Ratangarh temple in Datia

A stampede at a bridge leading to a remote Hindu temple in central India on Sunday killed at least 89 people and injured more than 100, police said.

Nearly 150,000 devotees gathered to celebrate the holy festival of Dussehra at the Ratangarh temple, in a forest outside the town of Datia, 390 km (240 miles) north of the Madhya Pradesh state capital, Bhopal.

A large number of devotees gathered to celebrate the holy festival of Dussehra at the Ratangarh temple, in a forest outside the town of Datia, 390 kilometres north of the state capital, Bhopal.

But a bridge leading to the temple collapsed, triggering the stampede.

"The death toll has risen to 91 and 10 others are in a critical condition," Dilip Arya, a deputy inspector general of police, said.

Mr Arya had earlier said a further 100 people were being treated for injuries in nearby hospitals.

As the bridge collapsed, people began rushing towards the temple and were killed in the stampede, Mr Arya said, adding that a few devotees drowned as they jumped into the Sindh river.

Police charged at crowds with batons: reports

Some local media said the police used batons to control the crowd, prompting many people to panic.

However, Mr Arya insisted "there was no baton-charge" by the police.

The Times of India reported that crowds could seen pelting police with stones as frustration grew over the rescue operation.

Inept handling has led to stampedes on previous occasions.

In February this year, a stampede killed at least 36 Hindu pilgrims, who were part of the world's largest religious festival, which attracted some 30 million people.

Some 102 Hindu devotees were killed in a stampede in January 2011 in the state of Kerala while 224 pilgrims died in September 2008 as thousands of worshippers rushed to reach a 15th-century hill-top temple in Jodhpur.