NEW DELHI: A video shared by news agency PTI has captured the horrifying moment when a stampede broke out at the Sree Lairai Devi temple in Goa’s Shirgao village in the early hours of Saturday, killing at least six people and injuring 60 others during the Lairai Zatra festival.
The six deceased have been identified as Surya Mayekar (Sakhali, Bicholim), Pratibha Kalangutkar (Kumbharjua), Yeshwant Kerkar (Thivim), Sagar Nandarge (Mathwada, Piligao), and Aditya and Tanuja Kauthankar (Auchit Wada, Thivim). Health minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed that four victims — two men and two women — were brought dead to the hospital.
Of the 60 injured, eight are in critical condition, including two on ventilator support. They have been referred to Goa Medical College (GMC) in Bambolim for advanced care. Several others are being treated at Asilo Hospital and the North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa. Two patients have been discharged, and ten others sustained minor injuries.
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Chief minister Pramod Sawant visited the injured in hospitals and confirmed that medical officers have been deployed at Bicholim PHC, Mapusa District Hospital, and GMC. “We are ensuring that all necessary treatment is being given on priority,” he said.
Health minister Rane said, “We dispatched five ambulances via 108 services to the site. Three more were stationed at Asilo, with additional teams on standby. We’ve appointed nodal officers at GMC and Asilo to oversee treatment and will provide regular updates.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to CM Sawant and took stock of the situation. He extended condolences and assured full central assistance. “The Prime Minister also urged me to ensure that the injured receive the best possible care,” Sawant said.
Authorities are yet to confirm the exact cause of the stampede, which reportedly occurred around 3am on a sloping stretch near the temple. An investigation is underway.
