NEW DELHI, 3 May (Alliance News): At least six people were killed and around 80 others injured in a stampede during a fire-walking ritual at the Lairai Devi temple in Goa, India, early Saturday morning, officials confirmed.
Thousands had gathered in the village of Shirgao to participate in the annual Lairai Zatra, a major Hindu festival, when the chaos broke out during the ritual. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured support for the victims’ families.
“Six people died even before they could be brought to the hospital,” Sawant told reporters, after visiting the hospital where the injured were being treated.
State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane stated that approximately 80 people were hurt in the incident. “Five are critical and on ventilator support, while the remaining are being treated in a specially created emergency ward,” he added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office also offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
The Lairai Zatra is known for its fire-walking ceremony, where devotees walk barefoot across burning coals. Deadly stampedes are not uncommon at Indian religious festivals, often due to overcrowding and lack of crowd control.
Earlier this year, at least 30 people were killed in a similar incident at the Kumbh Mela festival in northern India.
