6 killed, 70 injured in stampede during Goa temple fest, probe on

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the stampede that took place around 2.45 am during the annual jatra (festival) at Lairai Devi temple in Shirgao village.

While DGP Alok Kumar said a rumour is suspected to have caused the stampede, Sawant said at a press conference, “Precautions were taken but there was one bottleneck. The jatra happens every year, but this kind of incident is taking place for the first time. I am not saying this incident was instigated, but even if unknowingly, there was a provocation that led to this incident, they too will be punished.”

While police said adequate measures were taken for the festival, which is attended by thousands of devotees including those from neighbouring states, eyewitnesses blamed the stampede on crowd mismanagement.

Urvesh Kauthankar, a ‘Dhond’ or devotee of Goddess Lairai Devi, said, “It was a tragedy waiting to happen.”

A screengrab from a video shot at the time the stampede took place (left) and the aftermath of the disaster caught later (right) (PTI photos)

Kauthankar, whose aunt was among those dead, said, “Police and district administration failed to manage the crowd. After taking a dip in the village pond, the devotees proceeded to a narrow road stretch (about 400 metres long), which has a very steep slope, leading to the temple. Police had put a rope to separate the queues of Dhonds and the public on both sides of the road. But the Dhonds created multiple queues. There was a lot of pushing and shoving. A scuffle broke out between the two Dhond groups and since the incline of that road is steep, people fell over each other and were crushed.”

“It was all over in a few minutes. There was chaos and panic as people tried to rush from the narrow road,” he said.

Dismissing allegations that the rope caused people to trip leading to a stampede, Chief Minister Sawant said, “The jatra is for everybody and everyone has a responsibility to maintain decorum. The rope that they say is responsible was being held by police and wasn’t the cause of tripping. The Dhonds were supposed to walk within the rope, but some came from the outside and tried to enter the queue.”

DGP Kumar said, “The incident occurred around 2.45 am, maybe because of a rumour. The cause is being investigated. Around 150 to 200 people fell during the stampede. Immediately, police and volunteers conducted a rescue operation and shifted the injured to the hospital. Around 1,000 police personnel were deployed here yesterday (Friday).”

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visits Goa Medical College, where those injured in the Shrigao stampede are undergoing treatment, in Panaji on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

The festival includes a fire-walking ritual [Agnidivya] during which the Dhonds circle a fire pit and walk barefoot across burning embers. The ritual draws large crowds.

Eyewitnesses said that around 2.30 am, a huge crowd of devotees made their way to the temple to offer prayers and Agnidivya.

“The topography of the road is such that a rope cannot hold back a very large crowd. The temple committee has allowed many temporary stalls selling food items, toys and souvenirs on both the sides of the road, which further restricts movement. Last year, a woman had died in a minor incident during the jatra. Over the years, the crowd has swelled to lakhs,” said Ramdas Kauthankar, an eyewitness who had come from Thivim for the festival.

“During jatra, the sentiments are heightened and religious fervour is high. The Dhonds are fasting for days and often there is a competition to race ahead. In such a situation, if someone falls, they cannot get up. And this is what happened,” said Kauthankar. “The police personnel and ambulances were stationed quite a few metres apart, which delayed aid to the injured. Police should have released the crowd in phases. There was no crowd management.”

Sujay Halarnkar, a resident of Sircaim, who suffered a fracture in ribs, was among the devotees undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College. “In the chaos, as he was running, he noticed a minor girl behind him. As he tried to save her, he was trampled upon,” said his sister Sukanti Sadashiv Chodankar.

Dinanath Gaonkar, president of the temple committee, said, “Over 50,000 to 70,000 Dhonds were here at the jatra. People in the crowd were pushing each other to get ahead. One of the Dhonds was holding a bamboo cane stick [beth], which touched an electric cable and broke a bulb. There were some sparks, which led to a scuffle and this caused the stampede.”

Police identified the dead as Aditya Kauthankar (16), Tanuja Kauthankar (51) and Yeshwant Kerkar (33), all from Thivim; Surya Nayekar (62) from Sattari; Pratibha Kalangutkar (54) from Corlim; and Sagar Nandadurgi (31) from Pilgaon.

The Goa government also constituted a fact-finding committee, chaired by commissioner-cum-secretary (revenue) Sandeep Jacques. The fact-finding committee was directed to visit the site and submit its report within 48 hours.

Chief Minister Sawant said, who visited the hospitals where the injured are undergoing treatment, said, “This is the first such instance in Goa in recent memory and it should not happen again. Once the report is out, its recommendations will be pursued in all seriousness. What shouldn’t have happened, has happened.”

Sawant announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for families of those who died. “Those who have suffered serious injuries will be given Rs 1 lakh each. We have already registered an FIR against unknown persons for causing a stampede,” he said.

The government also transferred North Goa Collector Sneha Gitte, SP (North) Akshat Kaushal, Deputy SP (Bicholim) Jivba Dalvi, Deputy Collector (Bicholim) Bhimnath Khorjuvekar, and Police Inspector Dinesh Gadekar.

State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said 74 people were admitted to various government facilities, out of which 22 remain hospitalised. Health department officials said five of the injured were critical.