Bengaluru, India: Eleven people have died and dozens more were injured in a tragic crush outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium during a victory parade celebrating the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL win, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed.
Thousands of fans lined the streets to welcome the RCB team, who had defeated the Punjab Kings in the IPL final. However, the authorities were unprepared for the massive turnout, with over 200,000 people attending, double the anticipated crowd, a police official noted.
The tragedy unfolded when large crowds tried to push through a small gate at the stadium that had not yet been opened, triggering a deadly stampede. An official said that, “The gates were not even opened, but so many people were trying to enter through a small gate that the crush occurred.”
𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗿𝘂
We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate incidents that have come to light through media reports regarding public gatherings all over Bengaluru in anticipation of the team’s arrival this… pic.twitter.com/C0RsCUzKtQ
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 4, 2025
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as ‘heartrending,’ offering his condolences to those who lost loved ones. Siddaramaiah expressed being ‘deeply shocked’ by the loss, noting that ‘a moment of joy has been eclipsed by sorrow.’
Earlier in the day, the RCB team had arrived via a special flight at the old HAL airport and was received by Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
They then proceeded in a procession to a hotel and later to the majestic Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the state legislature, where Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and other ministers greeted the team.
The team was scheduled to take another procession to the stadium, where the crush occurred during a brief reception featuring cricket legend Virat Kohli. An eyewitness reported that there was already a huge crowd inside the stadium.
Celebration turned to mourning
In the hours before the incident, thousands of fans from across Bengaluru traveled by various means to the stadium, many wearing RCB jerseys.
Metro trains were so overcrowded that some people were unable to board, while passengers inside and outside chanted the team’s name in unison. Rickshaws and taxis largely refused to take passengers close to the stadium due to the heavy congestion, often dropping them several kilometers away.
Following news of casualties, panic spread as people rushed to metro stations. Authorities responded by shutting down stations near the stadium to manage the swelling crowds on the platforms.
The crush at what was meant to be a celebration has left the city in mourning, highlighting the challenges of crowd control in Bengaluru during major public events.
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