The spectre of deadly stampedes now looms over poorly planned mass gatherings, as more people travel for religious, sports or music events in the post-pandemic era. A small town in Andhra Pradesh, Kasibugga, is the latest to witness one, in which at least nine pilgrims, eight women and a teen, died tragically. They were caught in a crush at a private temple modelled on the famous Tirupati Venkateswara but built to a fraction of its size. It is unsurprising that on Ekadasi day, people in several neighbouring districts flocked to worship, resulting in an unmanageable crowd that fell through collapsing guardrails. What makes the disaster even more poignant is the arrival of a steady stream of the less affluent, who........

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