Agra, March 15 (IANS) Two pilgrims from Agra on their way to an annual fair in Rajasthan's Karauli district were crushed to death by a speeding Scorpio on the highway, police said Monday. In another incident, half a dozen pilgrims from this city were injured in a gas cylinder explosion that burnt 50 shops near the fair site in Karauli.

The pilgrims were walking towards the highway which connects Agra to Karauli, which is about 250 km from here, when they were run down by the Scorpio Sunday evening.

A third person was seriously injured and has been admitted to hospital. Angry villagers blocked traffic for several hours.

In another incident Sunday evening, half a dozen pilgrims from Agra were seriously burnt when a gas cylinder in a sweet shop exploded in Karauli. Fifty shops were burnt, according to police officials.

They were treated at the local hospital and discharged, Karauli collector Neeraj Pawan told the media Sunday evening.

More than 10 million people are expected to converge at the Karauli Davi shrine for the fortnight-long fair.