Bhubaneswar, March 31 -- At least eight people were killed and 12 others injured in a stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple in Bihar's Nalanda district on Tuesday, triggered by overcrowding during a religious gathering.

The incident occurred under the Deepnagar police station limits as a large number of devotees had assembled to offer prayers on a Tuesday, which traditionally sees heavy footfall. Being the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month, the turnout was significantly higher than usual, leading to a sudden rush and panic among the crowd.

Eyewitnesses said the situation worsened when devotees attempted to move out of the congested area, resulting in a stampede. Among the deceased, eight were reportedly women. Two victims have been identi...