New Delhi: Eighty-nine devotees were on Sunday killed and ten other injured in a stampede at a bridge over river Sindh close to famous Ratangarh Mata Mandir, some 60 km from here, a top official said. Majority of the deceased hailed from Datia and other parts of Uttar Pradesh, police said.

The incident took place when the faithful on the half kilo metre bridge were going to have the darshan of Goddess Durga on the last day of Navratra. A rumour spread that the bridge has started crumbling that turned thousands of devotees panicky. They ran trampling the people who fell on the bridge while running, police sources said. This bridge is also used by the devotees to return from the temple after Devi Darshan.

Police denied that the incident took place after the law-enforcers resorted to cane charge to discipline the faithful.

Sewda Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mahip Tejasvi said that all the 89 victims have been identified adding that majority of them hailed from UP.

The state government after seeking the approval of Election Commission has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs.1.5 lakh to the kin of the deceased. Besides, the state government has announced a financial help of Rs.50,000 to seriously injured and Rs.25000 each to the injured.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed grief over the tragedy.