A spiritual gathering turned into a tragedy in the early hours of Saturday when a stampede during the Lairai Devi pilgrimage in Goa’s Shirgaon village claimed at least seven lives and left over 30 people injured. The stampede occurred during the annual Lairai Zatra, a prominent religious event that draws thousands of devotees from across the state and neighboring regions.
According to India Today, a massive crowd had gathered to participate in the ritualistic festivities when chaos erupted due to suspected overcrowding and inadequate crowd control measures. Emergency services were immediately deployed to the scene, and a full-fledged rescue operation was launched.
The injured were rushed to Goa Medical College (GMC) and the North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa for urgent medical attention. Some were also taken to Bicholim Hospital. Authorities are currently working to identify the deceased and reach out to their families.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the affected hospitals and assured all possible assistance to the victims and their families. “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,” CM Sawant said, as quoted by IANS.
Sawant added that the government is taking every step to ensure proper medical treatment and logistical support for the injured. Preliminary findings indicate overcrowding and lack of proper arrangements as likely causes of the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives and spoke with CM Sawant to assess the situation. The Prime Minister assured full support from the Centre and emphasized that necessary steps should be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Authorities have initiated an inquiry into the incident, and security measures for future gatherings are expected to undergo serious review.
