At least 11 people, including two children, have died, and dozens more were wounded in a stamp while celebrating the Royal Challenger Bengalurus first IPL title -victory in southern India.
Hundreds of thousands of fans had gathered outside their homemaker’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday despite a lack of clear organization or police presence, where the stamping took place after RCB’s official X account announced a victory parade with less than two hours notice.
The incident is described as potentially the worst fan -related tragedy in Indian cricket history. All deaths were young men and women, including a 14-year-old girl named in media reports such as Divyanshi and a 17-year-old named Shivalingaiah. The oldest victim was a 33-year-old man.
More than 30 people were admitted to the hospital with injuries, mostly in stable condition and receiving treatment.
Karnataka’s chief minister Siddaramaiah, who goes under a single name, said the amount far exceeded expectations, and at least six to nine times more people had appeared than the stadium could have, overwhelming security events.
He noted that although the capacity of the stadium is 35,000, more than 200,000 to 300,000 people gathered for the event organized by the State Cricket Association.
“At one point of celebration, this unfortunate event should not have happened. We are saddened by this. No one expected this crowd,” Mr. Siddaramaiah told journalists. “A moment of joy has been darkened by grief.”
In the wake, pictures and videos showed scattered footwear, bags and personal belongings left in the panic. Destroyed barricades and damaged gates pointed to desperate attempts to push through, while some individuals were seen climbing trees, walls and fences for a view or to escape hugs.
Poor crowd management, confusion and rumors have been blamed for the deadly stamp. An official investigation has been launched as opposition parties criticizing apparent security lapse.
The day began with an already electrified fanbase, excited by the team’s first IPL win, which was thrown in exaggeration when RCB announced at 1 p.m. 7, that there would be a victory parade that day without sharing further details. The crowds began to gather outside the stadium from early in the morning with a chance they could see their heroes.
The RCB players arrived in the city on a special flight at Hal Airport around 10 pm. 14, where they were welcomed by Vice President Dk Shivakumar.
This was a precursor to a reception on the steps of the majestic Vidhana Soudha – the seat of state legislator – where Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, chief minister Siddaramaiah and other ministers met the team.
It was not until about 1 p.m. 15.00 that the RCB account said Victory Parade had been confirmed in 1 p.m. 17, and that it would be a free event. They also said it would be a limited entry event and passports would be available on their website.
This only added to the confusion, as hundreds of thousands had already gathered personally at the stadium, where there was no clear information about gate input points.
“Frenzy was so overwhelming that people were not even interested in being pierced by the fence when they climbed it to come in,” said Chandrashekhar Raju, a resident of Gandhi Bazaar, quoted by Hindu.
At. 16, the situation had become uncontrollable. Police announced that the stadium was full and urged people to spread, while Metro services in the nearby Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha stations were suspended to control the crowd.
At. At 16.51, a stamp near gate number seven of the stadium broke, while the event with government ministers was still taking place at Vidhana Soudha, only 1.8 km away.
Eyewitnesses said the crushing happened when a group of people fell as the amount rose to another gate, many without passports attempt to force entry.
After 7 p.m. At 5.30 pm a delayed and scaled -down parade took place inside the stadium. The RCB players waved the trophy from their dressing room balcony to the crowd already inside.
Many on social media criticized the parties that went on inside the stadium, while scenes of grief and grief already came out from outside, where relief struggled to control the situation.
Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organizes IPL, in a statement called the incident “Unlucky”.
“This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy after their cricketers. The organizers should have planned it better,” said BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Wool in Bengaluru is absolutely heartfelt. In this tragic hour, my thoughts with all those who have lost their loved ones are praying that those who are injured have a quick improvement.”
Star Batsman Virat Kohli, who enjoys a big fan after, wrote on Instagram that he was “lost for words” and “definitely off.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah announced that replacement would be paid on Rs 1m (£ 8,600) to each victim’s family.
Stampedes is not uncommon in the world’s most populated country, where religious and festive events draw a large number of crowds.
In January, at least 30 people died as tens of thousands of Hindus rose to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious collection.
More than 100 people were killed in a stamp in northern India in July 2024 after another Hindu religious collection, one of the deadliest such accidents this year. Thousands were gathered in a provisional tent for an event led by a Hindu predicate in Uttar Pradesh State.