At least six people have died and 55 others were injured following a stampede during a major Hindu festival in India’s western coastal state of Goa, according to police officials.
The incident occurred late on Friday night during the annual Shri Lairai Zatra festival in Shirgao village, renowned for its fire-walking rituals which draw hundreds of devotees each year.
Police officer V.S. Chadonkar, speaking from the state capital Panjim, said the stampede was triggered during a religious ceremony when a frenzy broke out among the crowd. “Devotees were witnessing a religious ceremony and the frenzy caused during the rituals triggered a stampede,” he said.
Among the casualties, at least eight people are reported to be in critical condition.
Mass gatherings at Hindu religious festivals are common in India and often occur without adequate crowd control or safety measures, leading to repeated incidents of stampedes over the years.
Local authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident as questions are raised over crowd management during the festival.
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