Goa Temple Stampede: 6 Dead, Several Injured in Tragic Incident

At least six people lost their lives and more than 50 were injured in a stampede during an annual religious festival at a Hindu temple in Goa, according to police on Saturday.

The event, held at the Sree Lairai Devi temple, attracted tens of thousands of worshippers from Goa as well as neighboring states like Maharashtra and Karnataka.

V.S. Chadonkar, a police officer in Panjim, stated that the stampede occurred when a religious ritual created a rush among the devotees, leading to chaos and panic.

What do we know about the stampede in Goa?

Chadonkar said that injuries included at least eight critical ones.

Goa State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that “approximately 80” people were injured.

“Five are critical and on ventilator support, while the remaining are being treated in the specially created emergency ward,” he said.

The incident took place on Friday night during the annual Shri Lairai Zatra festival in Shirgao village. The festival is known for its special events including fire-walking.

The stampede took place despite a heavy security presence and a 1,000-personnel strong task force to manage the crowd.

Police officials have yet to determine the reason behind the stampede.

A senior police officer, speaking anonymously to The Indian Express, said that while the exact details are still unclear, the stampede may have been triggered when a person fell on a steep slope near the temple’s approach road.

Officials have now initiated an investigation into the incident.