HARIDWAR (AFP) — At least six people were crushed to death at a popular Hindu temple in northern India's Uttarakhand state on Sunday, officials said, after a massive crowd surge.

The stampede occurred on the stairway leading to the Mansa Devi temple in the Hindu holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganges river, and left many injured.

"Six dead and more than 10 injured are admitted to the hospital," senior city police official Parmendra Dobhal told Agence France-Presse.

Uttarkhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said relief and rescue operations were underway.

"I am constantly in touch with the local administration regarding this matter and continuous monitoring of the situation is being done," he said in a statement.