Following the tragic stampede at Shirgao Temple in Goa on May 3, which claimed six lives, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has transferred multiple IAS and IPS officers from the state. Among those moved is Ms. Sneha Gitte, a 2019-batch IAS officer, who was serving as the North Goa Collector at the time of the incident.
Ms. Gitte’s transfer was accompanied by that of Mr. Akshat Kaushal, the then Superintendent of Police, North Goa and a 2018-batch IPS officer. Their relocation follows the submission of a fact-finding committee report, which held the district administration, police, and temple committee jointly accountable for lapses leading to the stampede.
Other Key Transfers:
Ms. Yashaswini B (IAS, 2019 batch), who had recently succeeded Ms. Gitte as North Goa Collector, has also been transferred from Goa under the same MHA directive.
Mr. Sanjiv Gadkar (IAS, 2013 batch) and Mr. Yatindra Maralkar (IAS, 2018 batch) are returning to Goa in what is being seen as a homecoming through fresh transfer postings.
On the IPS side, DIG Omair Singh Bishnoi (IPS, 2004 batch) has been transferred from Goa to Delhi.
Other IAS officers moved out of Goa include:
Mr. Arun Kumar Mishra (IAS, 2006 batch)
Mr. Ramesh Verma (IAS, 2009 batch)
Mr. Asvin Chandru (IAS, 2019 batch)
Administrative Shake-Up Amid Public Outcry
This significant reshuffle comes in the wake of increased public scrutiny and demands for accountability following the fatal temple stampede. The incident sparked widespread concern over administrative preparedness and crowd control measures during large public gatherings in the state.
