Slippery slope, swelling crowd: What caused the deadly stampede at Goa’s Lairai temple

A religious celebration turned into tragedy in Goa’s Shirgao village early Saturday, when a stampede at the revered Sree Lairai Devi temple left at least seven devotees dead and more than 80 injured. Officials say the stampede was triggered by a fall on a narrow slope, worsened by the sheer size of the crowd.

According to Director General of Police Alok Kumar, nearly 30,000 to 40,000 devotees had gathered for the annual Shri Lairai Zatra, a fire-walking festival where pilgrims walk barefoot over burning embers to honour the goddess Lairai. The crowd was dense, and many devotees were standing on a slope near the temple.

“A few people fell on the slope, causing others to fall on top of each other,” Kumar told PTI, explaining that around 40 to 50 people collapsed in the same area, setting off the stampede. The incident was reportedly contained to that particular stretch near the temple, but the chaos that followed led to multiple injuries.

Eyewitnesses said the slope was poorly lit and lacked proper crowd control measures. With pilgrims packed closely together in the predawn hours, even a minor slip was enough to create a domino effect.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed that 80 people were injured in the incident, with at least 10 in critical condition. “This is the most unfortunate incident. My whole team has been active through the night. The government is doing its best to save lives,” he said.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the injured at North Goa district hospital and ordered a formal inquiry into the stampede. “We will make the report public,” he said. Sawant also shared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him and assured full support from the Centre.

The Shri Lairai Zatra draws devotees from across Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Held annually at the Sree Lairai Devi temple, it is one of the most significant religious events in the region. This year, however, poor crowd management, limited infrastructure, and lack of real-time communication combined to turn a sacred ritual into a deadly disaster.

(With PTI inputs)