The annual Shri Lairai Devi Temple religious festival in Shirgao village transformed into a disastrous stampede early on Saturday morning which killed seven people alongside injuring more than eighty others. Thousands of worshippers including population from Goa alongside neighboring state attendees gathered during the annual Lairai Zatra festival.
The stampede incident took place across the timeline from 3:30 am until 4:00 am while numerous devotees gathered around the temple slope. Several individuals who lost balance on the overcrowded terrain triggered consecutive falls and set off a chain reaction which caused the stampede. This area witnessed forty to fifty people collapsing at once which triggered widespread chaos and mass movement among the congested crowd.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant responded swiftly to the scene while later checking on injured patients in the hospital before starting a formal investigation. The authorities received formal instructions to perform a thorough investigation. Sawant declared that authorities will publish the investigation results to the public. He also revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had contacted him, offering full support and expressing condolences to the affected families.
Goa Health Minister Provides Update on the Victims
Meanwhile, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane provided an update on the victims, noting that approximately 80 people were being treated for injuries, with about 10 in critical condition. “Our medical teams have been working tirelessly. Saving lives remains our top priority,” Rane said. He added that additional doctors and emergency personnel were deployed to North Goa District Hospital and Goa Medical College in Bambolim.
The Lairai Zatra is a centuries-old tradition that honors Goddess Lairai, revered as an incarnation of Parvati. Held every April or May, the highlight of the festival is the ‘agnidivya’ or fire-walking ritual, where thousands of barefoot devotees walk across burning embers in an act of devotion and spiritual fulfillment. The night also includes traditional dances, rhythmic stick-clashing rituals, and the symbolic lighting of a giant bonfire.
Despite extensive security arrangements, including the deployment of over 1,000 police personnel, drone surveillance, and riot control vehicles, crowd management proved challenging. Officers in plain clothes had also been stationed to deter thefts, and 300 traffic police personnel were on duty to manage vehicular movement.
Panic on Slope Triggers Stampede
Initial witness reports and police statements suggest that the stampede was confined to a specific zone and may have been worsened by the sloped terrain and a sudden surge in the crowd. There were unverified accounts of a possible electric shock triggering the panic, although this has not been confirmed by officials.
The temple’s significance and the scale of the festival meant that thousands had gathered from Maharashtra, Karnataka, and across Goa. Despite crowd control measures, the unexpected rush overwhelmed the available infrastructure. Emergency services were activated within minutes, and rescue teams began pulling victims from the pileup.
Prime Minister Modi took to social media to share his condolences: “Saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede in Shirgao, Goa. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope the injured recover swiftly. The local administration is offering all necessary assistance.”
Helpline Support has been Provided
A 24-hour helpline has been set up for families seeking information about their loved ones. Health officials have also confirmed the deployment of ten advanced ambulances and the activation of trauma care units at key hospitals.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over what is typically a jubilant event celebrating community faith and tradition. Calls for stricter crowd regulation and infrastructure upgrades at major religious sites are now growing louder, even as the state prepares to release findings from the pending inquiry.
