Stampede: Show cause notice to shunted North Goa SP, collector

Time of India

13-05-2025

Panaji:
Nearly 10 days after the
Shirgao jatra stampede
that killed six and injured 100, state govt on Tuesday issues show cause notices to eight officials, including the district magistrate, North Goa SP, deputy collector of Bicholim, DySP Bicholim, mamlatdar, PIs of Bicholim and Mopa police stations, and panchayat secretary of Shirgao, who were on duty during the incident and have been transferred since.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant, making the report of the fact finding inquiry committee (FFIC) public, said on Tuesday that the report has collectively held the temple committee, district administration, district police, village panchayat, and crowd behaviour, particularly that of 'dhonds', responsible for the tragedy.
The CM called the stampede an eye-opener and said that govt will list out such events which attract large crowds, and a management plan for them will be drawn up by the administration in advance.
Drones and watch towers will be used to prevent such tragedies in the future, he said. 'We will prepare SoPs, while also keeping in mind the sanctity of the rituals. Crowd management will be the responsibility of govt. Nodal officers will be appointed, besides the mamlatdar,' he said.
Sawant said that police investigation will continue and individual responsibility will be fixed, while at the administrative level, action will be decided for those responsible for negligence.
'As per the FFIC, the temple committee should have cooperated with the district administration. People's lives are important while carrying out the rituals. The cooperation required was not received from the temple committee. They did not take any initiative to carry out crowd control. When they were provided suggestions to put up barricades, etc, they did not observe it,' said Sawant.
The CM said that the district administration continuously met before the Shirgao jatra, but the type of enforcement and safety measures required were not taken to the required extent.
'The jatra has been held for so many years, they should have provided enforcement on a bigger scale. There is some negligence on their part. They should have taken measures as per legal requirements under the BNS. But to guard religious sanctity, they did not take the measures. For this, the district magistrate is also responsible,' said Sawant.
Police were not deployed strategically, even though there were more cops deployed this time.
'We found very poor coordination on their part,' he said. 'They did not set up watchtowers or deploy drones where required. There was no coordination as required in crowded places. Some 'dhonds' should also follow discipline, with due respect, as I am also a devotee of Devi Lairai. It is important for everyone to maintain sanctity,' said Sawant.
The village panchayat, while giving NOCs for stalls for power supply, did not even carry out an inspection on the ground, they just issued the NOCs, he said.
He also said that in Shirgao, a dedicated road will be built, and staggered timings will be made for the 'dhonds' to go from the temple pond to the 'homkund'. Govt will carry out road widening before the next Shirgao jatra, taking locals into confidence, he said.
'Such a stampede had never occurred in Goa before, and so that such a stampede does not take place in Goa in the future, we will take precautions. Six died and 100 were injured in the stampede.
At present, 18 of the 21 admitted to Goa Medical College for treatment have been discharged. Three are still undergoing treatment. Two have recovered, while one is still ill with pneumonia,' said Sawant.
He said that on the narrow road and sloped pathway where the incident occurred, there was a lack of effective crowd control, and there was unidirectional movement due to lack of proper planning. Roadside stalls were allowed here, further narrowing the pathway, he said.