Three people were killed and six injured in a stampede during a festival in eastern India on Sunday, officials said.

"Three people have died and six sustained injuries; none of them are serious and all are out of danger," Y.B. Khurania, director general of police in the state of Odisha, told Reuters.

The incident occurred at dawn as thousands of Hindu devotees gathered at an annual chariot festival in Puri, said a senior administrative officer told Reuters. He asked not to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Stampedes occur routinely during large Hindu gatherings in the world's most-populous country, as huge crowds gather in tight spaces, often ignoring safety protocols.