Junagadh: Six devotees including three women have been killed in a stampede at the Bhavnath temple in Junagadh district in Gujarat.

Twenty others have been injured in the incident that took place during the annual Mahashivratri fair held at the foothills of Mount Girnar.

According to police, the stampede broke out following panic after the brakes of a four-wheeler at the fair venue apparently failed. Tens of thousands of devotees had gathered there at the time for the popular fair which will conclude on the occasion of Mahashivratri tomorrow.

Ambulance personnel said they were finding it difficult to take the injured to hospitals because of traffic jams at the road leading to the temple. The situation has now been brought under control, according to officials.

An ex-gratia of one lakh each has been announced for the next of kin of the dead. A high-level inquiry has also been ordered into the incident.

(With PTI inputs)

Tags: Bhavnath temple, Devotees killed, Junagadh stampede, Mahashivratri, Shivratri, Stampede, Stampede at temple, Temple stampede