7 Dead, Over 80 Injured in Stampede at Goa’s Lairai Devi Temple During Zatra
At least seven devotees died and more than 80 were injured in a stampede during the Shri Lairai Zatra festival in Shirgao, Goa, on Friday night, prompting urgent medical response.
The tragic incident occurred during the annual Shri Lairai Zatra at the revered Lairai Devi Temple in Goa’s Bicholim taluka. The stampede broke out late Friday evening as thousands gathered for the traditional dhondachi zatra, where devotees walk barefoot across burning embers.
Authorities are yet to confirm the precise cause of the stampede, but overcrowding is suspected to have triggered the chaos. Visuals from the site showed people scrambling for safety amid devotional chants.
Goa Medical College (GMC) and the North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa are currently treating over 30 injured individuals, some of whom are reported to be in critical condition.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited both hospitals on Saturday morning to oversee relief efforts. “This is a deeply saddening incident. We are ensuring all possible medical support and will investigate how this tragedy occurred,” Sawant told reporters.
The Shri Lairai Zatra is one of Goa’s most revered Hindu festivals, attracting tens of thousands of devotees from across the state and neighbouring regions. The festival celebrates Goddess Lairai, believed to be a form of Goddess Parvati.
The dhondachi zatra, a fire-walking ritual, is the festival’s spiritual centrepiece, with massive crowds gathering to witness and participate in the devotion-filled ceremony.
While no official reason for the stampede has been given, authorities have launched a probe into crowd control measures and whether safety protocols were in place. The Goa government is expected to announce compensation for the families of the deceased.
Police have cordoned off the area and are working to identify the victims. Eyewitnesses claim the crowd began surging unexpectedly as the ritual began, leading to panic and trampling.
