Story highlights
NEW: At least 89 people were killed, authorities say
Police say a rumor that a bridge was collapsing sparked the stampede
Many people jumped into the river, a police inspector says
A stampede outside a temple in central India killed at least 89 people Sunday, authorities said.
The incident occurred on a bridge over the Sindh River while pilgrims were headed to the temple for a Hindu festival.
“The death toll could go much higher as about 25,000 people were present on the bridge at that time,” said D.K. Arya, a local deputy police inspector.
A rumor that the bridge was about to collapse caused panicked people to stampede, police told CNN sister network CNN-IBN.
Many people jumped off the bridge into the river, Arya said.
The stampede occurred at a temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
In 2011: At least 16 killed in stampede at religious festival in India