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Published : 03 May 2025, 01:03 PM
Six people have died with over 60 injured in a stampede at India’s Goa during the Shree Lairai Zatra festival, local media reports.
The stampede occurred during a large religious gathering at the Sree Devi Lairai temple in Goa’s Shirgaon, according to NDTV. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as people struggled to escape the tightly packed area.
The injured have been taken to Asilo Hospital and Goa Medical College for advanced medical treatment, as the Times of India reported eight individuals being in critical condition, of which two have been intubated.
Vishwajit Rane, health minister of Goa, asserted his commitment to providing the victims with appropriate medical assistance.
“We dispatched five ambulances through 108 services to the site. Three were stationed at Asilo and three more kept on standby until the situation stabilised,” said the health minister.
“We are closely monitoring each patient’s condition. Nodal officers from GMC and Asilo have been appointed to oversee the response. Regular updates will be provided,” he said.
Authorities are trying to determine what caused the stampede, TOI reported.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took to social media platform X and said: "I am personally monitoring the situation to ensure that every necessary measure is being taken.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences through an X post, hoping for the swift recovery of those injured.
The NDTV described the Lairai Zatra festival as a celebration of the goddess Lairai, who is an important deity in Goan folklore.
The festival is celebrated with fire-based rituals like “Agnidivya”, or fire walking, where devotees walk over burning embers to receive Lairai’s blessing.
