Temple stampede: North Goa collector, SP shunted out

Panaji: Hours after six devotees lost their lives in a stampede during a temple festival in Goa, the state government on Saturday ordered the transfer of five senior officials, including the North Goa collector and the superintendent of police.

"In order to ensure free and fair inquiry, the government has transferred District Collector Sneha Gitte, Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Bicholim) Jivba Dalvi, Deputy Collector (Bicholim) Bhimnath Khorjuvekar and Police Inspector Dinesh Gadekar with immediate effect," Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told reporters.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Sawant said a fact-finding committee, headed by State Revenue Secretary Sandeep Jacques and comprising senior police officer Varma Sharma, Parimal Abhishekh, State Director of Transport, and Tikam Singh Varma, SP, South Goa, as its members has been constituted.

Sawant said the panel will visit the stampede site at Shirgao village and prepare a report after speaking with all the concerned persons, including the Superintendent of Police, Collector, and officials of Fire and Emergency Services.

The committee will submit its report by Sunday morning.

Sawant said the death toll remains six. Eleven injured people were admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital and five of them are on the ventilator, while eight persons are undergoing treatment in North Goa District Hospital.