News Desk – What was supposed to be a historic and joyful moment for cricket fans in Bengaluru turned into a heartbreaking tragedy. On Wednesday, a stampede-like situation outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed the lives of 11 people and left 33 others injured, as crowds gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden IPL title win.
Following RCB’s thrilling six-run win over Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad, lakhs of fans in Bengaluru poured into the streets to join the celebration. The Karnataka government had organised a felicitation ceremony at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was set to honour the players, including team icon Virat Kohli.
However, crowd control collapsed as 2–3 lakh people gathered near the venue—far beyond what authorities had anticipated. In the rush and panic, a stampede occurred, turning a moment of joy into a scene of sorrow.
CM Siddaramaiah expressed deep regret, announcing a ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ordering a high-level probe into the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “absolute heartrending” and extended his condolences.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru released a statement mourning the loss of lives and expressing solidarity with the families affected by the incident.
The BJP blamed the Congress-led state government for “criminal negligence,” demanding resignations of CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and senior officials over failure in crowd management.
The government defended its response, stating that the crowd turnout far exceeded expectations, making it difficult to handle the situation.
While the city celebrated RCB’s first-ever IPL trophy after 18 long years, the victory was overshadowed by the tragedy. The win was especially meaningful for Virat Kohli, who has remained loyal to the franchise since 2008. But the aftermath of the celebration has now raised serious questions about event planning, safety, and accountability.
