Six People Died and at Least 55 Were Hurt in a Stampede at the Goan Hindu Festival

In Goa, a stampede during the fire-walking ceremony at the Shri Lairai Zatra festival has left six people dead and at least fifty-five injured.

Police officials in the western coastal state of Goa, India, said a stampede during a major Hindu festival has left at least six people dead and 55 injured.

In Shirgao village, which is famous for its fire-walking customs and attracts hundreds of devotees annually, the tragedy happened late on Friday night during the annual Shri Lairai Zatra festival.

Speaking from Panjim, the state capital, police inspector V.S. Chadonkar stated that a frenzy among the throng during a religious event set off the stampede. “A stampede was caused by the frenzied behavior during the religious ceremony that the devotees were witnessing,” he claimed.

At least eight of the casualties are said to be in critical condition.

In India, large crowds frequently congregate during Hindu religious festivals without proper crowd management or safety precautions, which has resulted in several stampede tragedies throughout the years.

Concerns regarding crowd control during the festival have prompted local authorities to look into the incident’s circumstances.