Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, May 3: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed on Saturday that the state government is providing full medical assistance to those injured in the tragic stampede during the Lairai Devi temple yatra in Shirgao village, which has claimed at least six lives and left over 30 injured.
The stampede occurred early Saturday morning as thousands of devotees gathered for the Shri Lairai Yatra, a deeply revered religious event that features a fire-walking ritual by barefoot ‘dhonds’.
CM Sawant visited the hospital to meet the injured and later posted on X:
"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."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached out to CM Sawant, offering the Centre’s full support and reviewing the situation in detail.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said all district hospitals and Goa Medical College (GMC) are on high alert, with emergency infrastructure reinforced to manage the crisis. He added:
“A 24/7 medical helpline is active — dial 104 for emergencies. Ten advanced 108 ambulances have been deployed for patient transfer and on-site response.”
As per the latest reports:
• 30 casualties have been documented.
• Eight critical patients — including two intubated — are admitted to GMC.
• Four people, including two men and two women, were brought in dead.
• Ten patients with minor injuries are being treated, while two have been discharged.
• A dedicated ICU with ventilators has been established at GMC, and additional doctors have been mobilised.
The Health Department has appointed nodal officers from GMC and Asilo Hospital to oversee operations and ensure timely updates.
Preliminary investigations suggest that overcrowding and inadequate crowd control measures led to the deadly incident. A sudden surge of the crowd, especially on a sloped path, caused people to lose footing and triggered the crush.
The Shri Lairai Yatra annually attracts over 50,000 devotees. Despite deploying 1,000 police personnel and drone surveillance, the crowd reportedly became unmanageable at a critical point.
Rescue operations are ongoing, and authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.