A tragic stampede at the renowned Laerai Devi Temple in Shrigao village, Goa, resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to over fifteen devotees during a religious gathering. North Goa Superintendent of Police, Akshat Kaushal, confirmed the incident.
Goa Temple Stampede: A stampede during the annual Jatra festival at Goa's famous Laerai Devi Temple on Friday turned a celebration of faith into a tragedy. Six devotees tragically lost their lives, and more than fifteen others were injured in the chaos that ensued amidst the massive crowd at the temple in Shirgav, North Goa. This heartbreaking incident has sent shockwaves across the state.
The incident occurred when lakhs of devotees gathered in and around the temple complex. As in previous years, the Laerai Devi Jatra was being celebrated with great fervor. However, this year, the immense crowd and lack of adequate security and management transformed a joyous festival into a tragedy.
How did the incident happen?
According to eyewitnesses, as devotees began arriving for prayers on Friday morning, the crowd swelled in the temple complex and on the main access routes. The absence of sufficient barricading and crowd control measures led to pushing and shoving. A sudden shout caused panic, and people started running helter-skelter. Many fell on top of each other in the ensuing stampede.
Ramesh Naik, a local resident present at the scene, recounted, "We come to the Jatra every year, but the crowd was unusually large this time. People started running in fear, and many elderly people and women fell down. There was no one to help them."
Swift Action by Administration and Health Department
Police and emergency services responded swiftly upon receiving news of the incident. Rescue operations commenced immediately. The injured were rushed to the nearby Asilo Hospital, with seriously injured individuals transferred to Goa Medical College (GMC). The state's Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane, described the incident as unfortunate and deeply distressing.
Sharing information on the social media platform X, he stated that the 108 ambulance service was placed on high alert due to the emergency. A total of eight critically injured patients were admitted to the GMC's super-specialty ward, with two requiring intubation.
Health Services on High Alert
The Health Minister also informed that additional doctors were deployed at GMC and Asilo Hospital. Beds, especially in the ICU with ventilator facilities, were prepared. The medical superintendents of GMC and Asilo Hospital were appointed as nodal officers to monitor the situation. He assured that the condition of every injured patient was being closely monitored and that the state government was providing all possible assistance.
