6 dead, over 25 seriously injured in south India stampede

NEW DELHI, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least six persons, including four women died, more than 25 were seriously injured, and nearly 70 others received simple injuries when a stampede occurred at the religious town of Tirupati in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh late on Wednesday night, confirmed a local official over phone on Thursday.

The tragedy struck when nearly 4,000 people had gathered to collect tokens for offering prayers at the famous Tirumala temple on the auspicious occasion "Vaikuntha Ekadashi" on Friday.

Those who were seriously injured were rushed to a local government hospital for immediate medical treatment.

"The Tirumala temple is situated atop a hill. The stampede occurred in Tirupati town down the hill where thousands of people had gathered to collect tokens for offering prayers at the temple on Friday which marks the special and auspicious occasion called Vaikuntha Ekadashi," said the local official.

He added that those who were seriously injured were rushed on priority to a local government hospital.