03-05-2025
Some stood on slope, few of them fell, others followed: What led to Goa stampede
At least seven people died and more than 80 were injured after a stampede broke out during a temple festival in North Goa's Shirgao village in the wee hours of Saturday. The incident took place at the Sree Lairai Devi what led to the stampede, a senior police official said nearly 30,000 to 40,000 devotees had gathered for the festival, with many standing on a slope near the temple. 'A few people fell on the slope, causing others to fall on top of each other,' Director General of Police Alok Kumar told to the police, about 40 to 50 people fell in the same area, triggering the stampede. The incident was confined to that particular spot.
Thousands of devotees from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka attend the annual festival at the Sree Lairai Devi Minister Pramod Sawant visited the injured at the North Goa district hospital. Sawant, in a post on X, said he had received a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who offered his full Goa Chief Minister also announced that an inquiry would be conducted into the temple stampede. Talking to reporters at the site, Sawant said, "I have asked for a detailed inquiry into the incident. We will make the report public."Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that as many as 80 people are injured and are being is the most unfortunate incident. My whole team has been active the whole night they have been working. 80 people have been injured and brought to hospital. The focus of the Health department is to save the lives of the critically injured, which are about 10. More than 6 to 7 people have lost their life. Government is doing the best to save the lives,' the health minister Shri Lairai Zatra festival, which started on Friday, is a deeply revered annual festival celebrated at the Shri Lairai Devi Temple in Goa's Shirgao. Devotees from across the state and beyond gather to honour Goddess Lairai, believed to be a form of Goddess Parvati. The highlight of the festival is the traditional dhondachi zatra, during which thousands of devotees walk across burning embers Watch
