Panaji (Goa) : Goa BJP President Damu Naik on Saturday confirmed that an investigation is underway into the tragic stampede that occurred during the annual Lairai Devi Jatra at the Shirgaon temple, which resulted in six fatalities and left over 50 people injured.
Expressing his grief, Damu Naik said, “The investigation is ongoing and will reveal the cause in due time. I express my condolences to those who lost their lives, and I pray for a swift recovery of those injured and currently hospitalized.”
Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik also commented on the incident, stating that in all his years of witnessing the Lairai Zatra, he had never seen such a tragedy before. He visited the injured at Goa Medical College (GMC), noting that three of the 13 patients admitted appeared to be in critical condition but were showing signs of recovery.
“This is not necessarily about crowd mismanagement,” he said. “Sometimes, a single act can lead to chaos. Our administration and police are working to uncover the reason behind the incident.”
North Goa Superintendent of Police Akshat Kaushal provided further insights, noting that more than 50,000 devotees were present at the temple when the incident occurred, with around 400 police personnel deployed for security. He stated that preliminary reports suggest the stampede may have been triggered by rumors spread within the crowd.
“This is the first time such an incident has taken place during the Lairai Zatra,” SP Kaushal said. “Our biggest challenge was to safely evacuate the massive crowd inside the temple premises.”
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the stampede while managing post-incident care and crowd control.