Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, May 17: In a significant administrative reshuffle, six IAS officers from the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre have been transferred out of Goa, following the tragic stampede at the Shirgao jatra that claimed six lives. Former North Goa Collector Sneha Gitte, who faced sharp criticism over crowd control lapses during the incident, is among those moved.

Gitte was abruptly removed from her post as North Goa collector and replaced by IAS officer Yashaswini B, who has now also been transferred out of Goa by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the same order. A four-member fact-finding committee investigating the stampede had cited serious lapses in crowd management, holding the district collector and police responsible.

The transfers pave the way for the return of IAS officers Yatin Maralkar and Sanjeev Gadkar, who rose through the ranks of the Goa Civil Service, to the state cadre. Arjun Mohan and Santosh Sukhadeve have also been directed to report for duty in Goa.

In another key move, Asvin Chandru, secretary to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and husband of Sneha Gitte, has been transferred out of the state. Additionally, Additional Director General of Police Omvir Bishnoi has been transferred to Delhi, with Keshav Ram Chaurasia, formerly joint commissioner in Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing, posted to Goa as his replacement.

Other IAS officers transferred from Goa to Delhi with immediate effect include Ramesh Verma, Arun Kumar Mishra, and Suneel Anchipaka. Meanwhile, Gitte, Chandru, and Yashaswini have been assigned to postings in Arunachal Pradesh.

The administrative shake-up underscores the government’s response to the Shirgao tragedy and signals a fresh phase in Goa’s bureaucratic leadership.