Six dead and over 50 injured in temple stampede at Indian tourist hotspot

At least six people were killed and more than 50 injured when a stampede broke out early on Saturday at a temple in the western Indian state of Goa.

The stampede took place around 3am at the Shri Lairai Devi temple in Goa’s Bicholim, located around 40km from the state capital Panaji, where thousands of devotees were gathered for the annual Lairai Devi jatra or procession.

It is unclear what led to the stampede but local media reported eye witnesses saying there was a sudden rush among devotees, which led to panic and chaos.

“The incident happened around 3.30am on 3 May. The annual Lairai Jatra was on 2 May, people had started coming since early morning from across Goa and neighbouring States. It was so overwhelming for the police staff to handle the crowd as it increased as the day progressed,” assistant sub-inspector Arun Desai from the Bicholim Police Station told The Hindu.

“By late night, we could not understand how it had happened. We are assuming a person must have fallen down and tripped, and some people started walking over them, and possibly that is how the stampede broke out. We are still investigating the matter.

“Over 65 people are injured, and the number could be more. Six have died.”

The injured are being treated at nearby hospitals and authorities have reportedly said at least 10 injured remain in critical condition.

Goa’s chief minister Pramod Sawant visited two of the hospitals to assess the situation. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he expressed his condolences, writing: “Deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at the Lairai Zatra in Shirgaon this morning. I visited the hospital to meet the injured and have assured all possible support to the affected families. I am personally monitoring the situation to ensure that every necessary measure is being taken.”

Prime minister Narendra Modi posted on X: “Saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede in Shirgao, Goa. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.”

Indian media reported that over 1,000 police personnel had been deployed for the festival to ensure crowd control, ensure safe passage for everyone attending, and oversee the event.

The Lairai Devi jatra is a major religious festival dedicated to Goddess Lairai, believed to be an incarnation of Parvati and one of seven sister deities in Goan folklore.

State health minister Vishwajit Rane said that “immediate and comprehensive steps” had been taken to manage the crisis.

In a post on X, Mr Rane said emergency services were activated swiftly, with five ambulances dispatched to the site through coordination with 108, the national emergency ambulance service.