Panaji, May 3 -- Lairai Devi temple President, advocate Dinanath Gaonkar, on Saturday, stated that the stampede during the Zatra in Shrigao was triggered when a devotee accidentally touched an electric bulb with his cane stick, received a shock, and collapsed onto others in the tightly packed crowd.

Gaonkar further mentioned that approximately 50,000 to 70,000 Dhonds (followers of Lairai Devi) had gathered for the Zatra.

"Around 50,000 to 70,000 Dhonds (followers of Lairai Devi) were here at the Zatra... People in the crowd were pushing each other to get ahead in the crowd... Many of us villagers tried to stop them and resolve the issue. But these people were just not ready to listen to us. During this, some people went to a shop here, ...