At least six worshippers lost their lives and 55 others sustained injuries in a tragic stampede during a major religious festival in India’s coastal state of Goa, according to a police official on Saturday.
The incident took place on Friday night amid the annual Shri Lairai Zatra celebration in Shirgao village, known for its fire-walking ritual and large gatherings of devout Hindus.
“Devotees were witnessing a religious ceremony and the frenzy caused during the rituals triggered a stampede,” said V.S. Chadonkar, a police officer based in Goa’s capital, Panjim.
“Six people lost their lives and at least eight were critically injured,” he added.
Goa’s Health Minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed that “approximately 80” individuals were injured in the stampede that occurred during the Shri Lairai Zatra festival.
“Five are critical and on ventilator support, while the remaining are being treated in the specially created emergency ward,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office offered sympathies, saying it expressed “condolences to those who lost their loved ones.”
Stampedes are a recurring risk during massive Hindu festivals in India, where dense crowds in confined spaces often flout safety measures.
