PATNA, India — An argument over sacrificing goats during a Hindu festival triggered a stampede that killed 10 people Sunday in a packed temple in northern India, officials said.

More than 40,000 people, many inebriated, had taken their goats to the Tildiha village temple in Bihar state to offer sacrifice and prayers to the goddess Durga on the last day of the Navratri festival.

As the worshipers lined up before the butcher, a scuffle broke out and some people were trampled, Banka district spokesman Gupdeshwar Kumar said.

Get breaking news alerts delivered to your mobile phone. Text BREAKING to 52669.

"People were vying with each other to get their goats sacrificed first, and they had a verbal duel with the butcher," Kumar said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fgw-india-stampede-20101018,0,3569876.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+latimes/mostviewed+(L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories)

Will noone think of the chiildren?