Bengaluru: What was meant to be a historic day of celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans turned into a tragedy on Wednesday, as a massive stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in the deaths of at least eight people and left over 50 injured.
Thousands of fans had gathered to celebrate RCB’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win, but the festivities spiraled out of control as crowds surged from multiple entry points in an attempt to gain access to the venue.
Emergency services struggled to reach the injured due to severe congestion around the stadium.
Authorities confirmed that the bodies of two victims are at Bowring Hospital, while four more have been taken to Vaidehi Hospital.
Two additional deaths were later confirmed by hospital sources. Six people are currently in the ICU at Vaidehi Hospital, with several others in critical condition.
The identities of the deceased are yet to be officially released.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited Bowring Hospital to meet with the injured and oversee relief efforts.
Officials said the crowd size had exceeded expectations despite the state government’s earlier decision to cancel the victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium due to security concerns.
Chaos unfolded as fans scaled fences, climbed trees, and even perched on branches to catch a glimpse of the team celebration.
In a separate incident, a fan attempting to climb over a stadium gate fell and sustained a leg fracture.
Despite a heavy police presence, authorities faced difficulties managing the overwhelming crowd.
Mild baton charges were reportedly used near Vidhana Soudha to disperse fans attempting to access the government’s felicitation program.
Security forces had been on high alert since Tuesday night, attempting to control growing crowds around major city landmarks.
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Police said efforts were made overnight to prevent any disorder, but the sheer volume of fans made crowd control nearly impossible.
Earlier in the day, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar personally welcomed the RCB squad at Bengaluru’s HAL Airport.
Each player was greeted with bouquets, and star batsman Virat Kohli received both the RCB and Kannada flags in a symbolic gesture of pride.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the stampede, with further updates expected.
