In a predictable response to the heart-rending stampede that killed at least nine people at a temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district, the state government has suspended a junior policeman, constituted a Special Investigation Team, and announced statutory monetary relief to the families of victims.

A broad-brush preliminary theory of a combination of factors — unmanageable crowds and poor security arrangements — was put out, consistent with the pattern seen after past incidents. India and stampedes are now indivisible in the literature on disasters.

During 2025, five out of seven deadly crushes involving the loss of about 70 lives took place at religious gatherings, ranging from the Maha Kumbh to a remote temple in Goa. Crowd management practices came in for scrutiny after........

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