At least 18 people have died in Mumbai in a stampede as thousands gathered to mourn the death of the 102-year-old spiritual leader of a Muslim sect.

The stampede took place early on Saturday outside the home of Syedna Mohamed Burhanuddin, the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community.

A large crowd of mourners was pressed against the gates of the house at the time, television channel CNN-IBN said, citing police. At least 50 people were injured.

The leader died on Friday and his body had been placed in his Malabar Hill home for people to pay their respects.

Several of the injured were released after treatment at nearby hospitals.

Stampedes frequently happen at religious sites in India but they are not common in big cities such as Mumbai where there is a greater police presence to monitor the flow of people.

Last October, about 115 people were killed in a stampede at a Hindu temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. (AL JAZEERA)