Team Herald
BICHOLIM: The blame game has begun over the stampede at Shirgao, which killed six people and left several others injured, with the Shree Lairai Devi Temple’s managing committee blaming the Shirgao Village Panchayat, administration and the Bicholim Deputy Collector for the tragic incident.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, temple’s managing committee president Dinanath ‘Dina’ Gaonkar claimed that the panel was not responsible for the horrific incident that occurred during the annual zatra on May 2.
He said that the managing committee will not allow the stalls alongside the lane leading to the temple from next year onwards.
Accusing the temple’s former president Ganesh Gaonkar of misusing temple property and funds for his personal gain, Dinanath alleged that the outgoing president did nothing for the temple during his three-year tenure.
He claimed that a tragic incident had occurred during the annual zatra last year wherein a woman was killed. He further mentioned that the general body had taken a decision to remove the compound wall.
Refuting the allegations made by Dinanath, Ganesh said, “During my tenure we had barricaded the area and the devotees were happy. The then Bicholim Mamlatdar and the then Bicholim PI told me to barricade the area. We barricaded the area despite opposition from Dinanath
and others.”
He said “I have video recordings to prove it. Even the temple development works were stalled by these members. Everything is recorded in minutes.”
Clarifying it was not last year but nine years ago that a woman had fractured her hand during a minor stampede on the zatra day, Ganesh said that there was no fault of the State administration and blamed the current managing committee for the stampede.
“The current managing committee is responsible. Dinanath always opposed us and did not allow us to complete the two projects. I have submitted all these details to the fact-finding committee,” Ganesh said.