Goa trampling: Police instructions from CCTV cameras, no roadblocks were imposed before Temple Day

Investigation officer Sandip Jacques (IAS) and other government officials were on the scene after a stampede broke out in a village during a temple festival in the North Goa district on May 3, 2025. |Photo source: PTI

An official said on Monday (May 5, 2025) that the committee that managed Shree Lairai Temple failed to implement the instructions of Goa police to install CCTV cameras for the annual festival, during which six people died in a stampede.

The official, citing minutes of meetings held a few days before the tragedy, said the temple committee also requested that the necessary queues be arranged for the queue if needed.

However, temple authorities said there was not enough time to install CCTV cameras, as the meeting was held a few days before the event began.

During the annual festival held on Saturday (May 3, 2025) at the Shree Lairai Temple in Shirgao Village, North Goa, the annual festival broke out in the annual festival held at the Shree Lairai Temple in Shirgao Village, North Goa, and suffered more than 70 people.

On April 30 before the festival, the police, the district government and the Shree Lairai Temple committee held a meeting on April 30, during which the temple authorities were asked to install CCTV cameras at the entrances and exit points and place “appropriate barriers” where possible.

At that time, the Chief of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal attended the meeting, and then Deputy Vice-President (Bicholm) Jivba Dalvi, Deputy Collector (Bicholm) Bhimnath Khorjuvekar, and Dinanath Gaonkar, Chairman of the Committee of Temple Committee, etc.

The minutes of the meeting, its copy and pti“The Temple Commission is required to install CCTV at all entrances and exit points near Temple and Homhand, in crowded areas and near CCTV control rooms and provide police personnel for this,” said the Commission.

According to the minutes, the Temple Committee was also required to make the necessary arrangements for the queue wherever it was needed and to assist police in crowd control and management during the holidays.

Touched by Dinanath Gaonkar, the chairman of the Temple Committee, said they did not have enough time to install CCTV cameras.

“You need at least 10 to 15 days to install these cameras. The meeting will only take place a few days before the festival,” he said.

Mr Gaonkar said there were no obstacles to proceed as the devotees suffered in the past.

The Temple Council said they had already removed the stampede before the fact-finding committee investigated the stampede and provided all the details.