Stampede at Lairai Devi Temple in Goa’s Shirgao Leaves 6 Dead, 30 Injured

Stampede at Lairai Devi Temple: At least six people died and 30 others were injured early Saturday when a stampede broke out during an annual temple festival in Goa.”

The dhondachi zatra is a centrepiece of the celebration. It symbolises devotion through endurance, as barefoot devotees walk across glowing embers in homage to Goddess Lairai, considered a manifestation of Goddess Parvati.”

To manage the turnout, about 1,000 police personnel were deployed. Drones were also placed overhead for crowd monitoring and aerial surveillance. However, in spite of such arrangements, the situation spiralled beyond control, exposing potential gaps in crowd regulation and emergency planning.”

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“The circumstances are not yet clear, but it appears that one person fell on a steep slope near the approach road of the temple, which then led to a stampede,” a senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. The narrow stretch, crowded with worshippers, quickly became the site of chaos as people tried to escape the surge.”

Goa’s chief minister, Pramod Sawant, visited the North Goa district hospital and Bicholim Primary Health Centre to take stock of the situation. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Sawant expressed his condolences. “Deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at the Lairai Zatra in Shirgaon this morning. I visited the hospital to meet the injured and have assured all possible support to the affected families. I am personally monitoring the situation to ensure that every necessary measure is being taken,” he wrote.”

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He added that a probe had been ordered to determine the cause of the incident.”

Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while expressing his condolences said via a post on X: “Saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede in Shirgao, Goa. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.”

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