Shirgao temple to sensitise dhonds on safety measures

Panaji: Post the tragic stampede which killed 6 devotees and injured over 70 people during the Shree Devi Lairai Jatra at Shirgao, the temple committee has decided to sensitise ‘dhonds’ on safety and security measures during the jatra. The jatra concluded on Tuesday, marking the end of the five-day celebration.

The committee plans to visit villages or call ‘dhonds’ in groups from a particular village or an area to the temple in Shirgao where safety measures, do’s and don’ts and other related instructions will be communicated. The committee will also make use of the popular messaging app WhatsApp and create WhatsApp groups for ‘dhonds’.

There are no exact figures, but according to information there could be 50 to 70 thousand ‘dhonds’ from Goa. Apart from ‘dhonds’, thousands of devotees also attend the annual jatra.

The temple committee has now requested ‘dhonds’ to submit two photographs and ID proof for registration on a priority basis.

“Our idea is to create awareness on safety and security, so that such tragic incidents do not reoccur,” said Dinanath Gaonkar, president of the Lairai temple committee.

Gaonkar said that this is for the time, “We are conducting registration of ‘dhonds’. After registration we will have the proper data of ‘dhonds’. Not every dhond is able to visit the temple during jatra”.

“After registration is complete, we will visit villages or call ‘dhonds’ in groups to the temple. We will discuss various safety and precautionary measures, do’s and don’ts’ etc. We will also form WhatsApp groups to pass on the information to dhonds”, said Gaonkar.

It may be recalled that the fact-finding committee headed by Revenue Secretary Sandeep Jacques, IAS, has held several senior officials of the North Goa district administration responsible for the tragic stampede that occurred during the annual jatra in the early hours of May 3.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that the committee has attributed responsibility to the then North Goa Collector Sneha Gite, IAS, former North Goa Superintendent of Police Akshat Kaushal, IPS, former Bicholim Deputy Collector Bhimnath Khorjuvekar, then Bicholim DySP Jivba Dalvi, former Bicholim Police Inspector Dinesh Gadekar, the Shree Devi Lairai temple committee, the local village panchayat, and others.

The 100-page report, compiled by the four-member panel, includes detailed observations on the causes and circumstances of the stampede, along with conclusions and recommendations to prevent such tragedies at large religious or public gatherings in the future.