Eight persons died and several were injured in a stampede at a temple in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on Sunday, NDTV reported.

The stampede took place at the Mansa Devi temple, one of Haridwar’s five sacred sites, or panch tirthas.

Twenty-eight were injured. Five of them suffered serious injuries, NDTV reported.

“Prima facie, the stampede was triggered by a rumour of an electric shock on stairs 100 metres down the temple route,” Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Dobal told ANI.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Nilesh Bharne told The Indian Express that the incident occurred around 9 am while devotees were walking towards the temple. He said that rumours of an electrical hazard caused panic among the crowd.

“We are inspecting the causes, and rescue is underway,” he added.

Secretary of Disaster Management Vinod Kumar Suman said that the five devotees who were seriously injured were referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rishikesh. The 23 others were being treated at the district hospital in Haridwar, he added.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the State Disaster Response Force, local police and other rescue agencies were engaged in relief and rescue efforts. He added that he was in contact with the local administration and was monitoring the situation.

He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of those who died in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Orders have also been issued for a magisterial inquiry into the incident, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede on the route to Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand,” Modi said on social media. “Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.”