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At a remote Hindu temple in western India, fire and crowd congestion caused a lethal stampede as about 300,000 Hindu pilgrims visited a holy shrine.

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Inside the temple, at Wai in the western state of Maharashtra, a suspected electrical fault sparked explosions.

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Amid chaos and panic, thousands of Indians stampeded through narrow streets in an effort to escape.

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Up to 300 people died and hundreds more were injured as crowds were squeezed into a narrow stairway that became a lethal bottleneck.

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Many women and young children had come to offer sacrifices to the Hindu goddess Mandrha Devi but ended up as victims.

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The temple was transformed from a place of worship into a place of mourning.

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Instead of enjoying a 24-hour long festival - held on a full moon day - Wai was overcome with grief.

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On the outskirts of the temple onlookers appeared helpless as buildings continued to smoulder.

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In the centre, bodies were being recovered amid the figures of Hindu gods.