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All the victims of the stampede tragedy at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium were under the age of 40, with the youngest being just 13 years old. The deceased include three teenagers and six individuals between the ages of 20 and 30.
Most of the crowd had arrived with friends to cheer for their team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, which had finally lifted the IPL trophy after an 18-year wait. While many were from Bengaluru, others had travelled from nearby districts to be part of the celebration. But what began as a joyous occasion turned tragic when the massive crowd overwhelmed the security arrangements, resulting in a deadly stampede. Eleven people lost their lives, and 47 others were injured.
The victims have been identified as Divyanshi (13), Doresha (32), Bhoomik (20), Sahana (25), Akshata (27), Manoj (33), Shravan (20), Devi (29), Shivalinga (17), Chinmayi (19), and Prajwal (20).
Poor planning, hasty arrangements, and an overwhelming crowd were key factors that contributed to the tragic incident. Concerns have been raised over the state government’s decision to hold a felicitation ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha, where Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar honoured the team. Hosting events at both the Vidhana Soudha and the Chinnaswamy Stadium posed significant logistical challenges. The heavy deployment of security personnel at the Vidhana Soudha due to the presence of VIPs left only a limited police force to manage the massive crowd at the stadium. Although the Chinnaswamy Stadium has a seating capacity of around 35,000, over 3 lakh fans gathered, far exceeding its limit.
Despite being denied permission by Bengaluru police due to major security concerns, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and team organizers proceeded with plans for a victory parade.
At around 3:14 PM, RCB officially announced the parade and declared that free passes would be available—this, in turn, triggered a massive rush of fans to the stadium. However, with no clear instructions on how entry would be managed, confusion quickly set in. Once word spread that entry would be on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis, chaos ensued. Some fans tried climbing over gates, while others pushed past barricades. Security personnel were overwhelmed, and in the resulting crush, several people lost their footing and fell.
Facing criticism over insufficient preparations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a press conference to announce relief measures. He stated that the families of those who lost their lives would receive compensation, and those injured would be provided free medical treatment.
Addressing the controversy, he said, “Such incidents have occurred in many places. I’m not going to justify this by pointing fingers elsewhere. For example, during the Kumbh Mela, 50–60 people lost their lives, but I didn’t criticize it. If the Congress raises questions, that’s a separate issue. But did I—or the Karnataka government—ever criticize those incidents?”
Veteran BJP leader Pralhad Joshi issued a sharp rebuttal to the state government’s stance. Criticizing their response, he said, “You cannot deflect responsibility by making comparisons — the Kumbh and this event are not the same. When the police had denied permission, why was the event forced through? My second question to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is this: after the tragic deaths, how could you continue the celebrations? Why did Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar personally go to receive them? While the public is suffering, leaders are busy taking selfies — no one seems concerned about the plight of the common man.
Mr. Joshi criticized the state government, stating that the Kumbh tragedy was handled insensitively. He noted, “No one was taking selfies. A judicial inquiry must be conducted, and the government needs to respond. This is highly condemnable.
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