Indian police detained 20 people on Monday after a fireworks display at a Hindu temple which started a fire that killed 112 people, in one of the worst accidents at a religious festival.

Thousands of people were gathered at the temple at Kollam in the state of Kerala on Sunday for the pyrotechnic show to mark the start of the Hindu year when sparks ignited a cache of fireworks stored inside the temple grounds.

The district administration said it had not given permission for the fireworks display following complaints of noise.