Kolkata Stampede: 19 Killed at Durga Puja Festival

Authorities in India are working to identify 19 people killed during a stampede at a Hindu religious festival. The deaths occurred at the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata after a sudden downpour caused a crowd to panic, and authorities are probing possible safety lapses. DW News examines the factors behind the tragedy, with Mukulika Banerjee of the London School of Economics pointing to other likely contributors beyond the immediate trigger of the rain. The report asks why religious festivals face deadly crushes and looks at the growth of mega-pandals and the crowd safety questions they raise. The coverage moves from the fatal stampede itself to the broader context of large religious gatherings, safety planning, and the pressures that can turn a celebration into a disaster.