INDRAJIT SINGH
Associated Press
PATNA, India (AP) — At least 32 people were killed Friday in a stampede in eastern India triggered by rumors that an electrical wire had fallen on people during a religious festival, an official said.
State administrator Aamir Subhani said the stampede occurred in Patna, the capital of Bihar state, as thousands of people were returning home after attending a major Hindu festival, Dussehra.
The festival celebrates the defeat of the demon Ravana at the hands of Lord Rama, marking the triumph of good over evil.
Deadly stampedes are fairly common during Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with few safety or crowd control measures.
In October 2013, a stampede in Madhya Pradesh state in central India killed more than 110 people, mostly women and children.
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