At least six people were killed and over 70 sustained injuries after a stampede broke out during a temple festival in North Goa, officials said on Saturday, 3 May.
The incident occurred at Sree Lairai Devi temple in Shirgao village in the wee hours of the day, a senior police officer said.
Thousands of devotees from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka had gathered at the temple for the festival, he said, adding that the exact cause of the stampede would be ascertained after a probe.
At least six persons were killed in the stampede, and several devotees have sustained injuries, officials from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.
State health minister Vishwajit Rane said at least 30 people sustained injuries, of which eight are in critical condition and two were referred to the Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim.
Eight injured people were admitted at the district hospital, while 10 were treated for minor injuries, he added.
Rane said the health department has taken immediate and comprehensive steps to manage the situation.
"We coordinated with the 108 ambulance service, ensuring that five ambulances were dispatched to the site immediately after the incident, while three more are stationed at the North Goa district hospital," he said.
Rane said additional doctors were roped in, and a dedicated ICU with ventilators was set up to provide consolidated care.
"All necessary arrangements have been made, and we are closely monitoring each patient," he said.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant also visited the injured at the North Goa district hospital at Mapusa.
Ironically, an official police handle had tweeted that arrangements to ensure safety and comfort of all devotees was in order just a few hours before the stampede.
The Shirgaon Zatra, also referred to as the Lairai Devi Zatra, is a revered annual religious celebration held in the village of Shirgaon in North Goa. Dedicated to Goddess Lairai—considered an incarnation of Parvati and one of Goa’s seven divine sisters—this vibrant event attracts thousands of worshippers from across Goa and neighboring regions.
One of the most striking rituals is the fire-walking ceremony, where devotees known as Dhonds walk barefoot over glowing embers to demonstrate their faith and seek spiritual purification.
In preparation, these participants observe rigorous fasting and celibacy, and offer fragrant jasmine (mogra) garlands to the goddess, who is worshipped in a symbolic form represented by an ornately adorned pot—seen as a vessel of creation and fertility.
Like other festivals, in Goa, the Shirgaon zatra is also a beautiful example of interfaith unity, with both Hindu and Catholic communities participating. It is said to reflect the spiritual connection between Lairai Devi and Milagres Saibinn (the Virgin Mary) of Mapusa.
With agency inputs
