JOIN USIn a shocking incident, two tourists from Andhra Pradesh, both friends who had travelled to Goa for the Sunburn Klassique festival according to the police, died outside the gates of the electronic dance music event on Friday afternoon, just before the event kicked off.
According to Superintendent of Police (North Goa district) Utkrisht Prasoon, the duo identified as Sai Prasad and Venkat, both fainted within minutes of each other, while waiting to enter the festival grounds at the beach village of Vagator on Friday afternoon.
“Both were rushed to a nearby hospital, but were declared dead on arrival,” Prasoon told reporters in Panaji.
EDM festivals are popular in Goa, especially during the festive period around Christmas and New Year and are attended by thousands of music lovers.
However, this is not the first time that tourists have died in mysterious circumstances at Goa’s EDM events.
In 2014, a Mumbai-based fashion designer died following an alleged drug overdose at an EDM festival in Goa. Two youngsters, who were in Goa for an EDM festival in 2017, also died of drug overdose according to the police.
The Opposition had demanded a ban on EDM festivals in the coastal state, claiming drug abuse was rampant at such events.
CM Pramod Sawant has defended hosting of EDMs claiming such events were good for tourism footfalls in the state which is a well-known beach and night-life tourism destination.