Stampage at the Goa Temple: Killed 6 people, many injured in Sree Lairai Devi Temple in Shirgao

Goa CM Pramod Sawant visited North Goa Regional Hospital in Mapusa and encountered the injured on May 3, 2025. Image source: Videograb: X/@pti_news

Officials said on Saturday (May 3, 2025) that a stampede broke out at a temple festival in North Goa, with at least six people killed and several injured.

A senior police officer said the incident occurred in the early morning of the day at the Sree Lairai Devi temple in Shirgao village.

He said thousands of devotees from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka gathered in the temple for the festival, adding that the exact cause of the stampede will be determined after the investigation.

Officials from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said at least six people were killed in the stampede and several devotees were injured.

State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said at least 30 people were injured, eight of them in critical condition and two were handed over to the Goa Medical College and hospital in Banbolm.

Four people, including two women, were killed at the North Goa Regional Hospital in Mapsa, he said.

He added that eight injured people were admitted at regional hospitals, while 10 injured suffered minor injuries.

Mr Rane said the health department had taken immediate comprehensive steps to manage the situation.

“We coordinated with 108 ambulance services to ensure that five ambulances were sent to the scene immediately after the incident, and three other three were stationed at North Goa regional hospitals,” he said.

Mr Rane said more doctors were tied up and a dedicated ICU with ventilators was set up to provide combined care.

“All the necessary arrangements have been made and we are closely monitoring every patient,” he said.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also visited the injured in the North Goa Regional Hospital.