What was meant to be a grand celebration in Bengaluru turned into a tragedy, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) brought home their first IPL trophy. Following their win in Ahmedabad, RCB invited fans to join them the next day in Bengaluru for a felicitation ceremony at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
An estimated two lakh supporters gathered to witness the event and celebrate with their favourite players. The stadium, which has a capacity of 35,000, was overwhelmed by the massive crowd, resulting in a chaotic situation. The police force present was outnumbered.
A sudden stampede broke out, leading to the deaths of seven people and leaving several others injured. The ceremony was cut short, lasting only 20 minutes, after organisers were informed of the tragic incident outside. Ambulances took time to reach the scene due to the dense crowd.
Following the incident, former India cricketer Madan Lal expressed his grief over the innocent lives lost and questioned RCB and the IPL franchise for conducting the ceremony in such haste.
“You celebrated in Ahmedabad the previous night—what was the rush to organise a grand event in Bengaluru the next day? Eleven lives were lost unnecessarily,” said Madan Lal.
“It Wasn’t Us” – Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Responds
With blame directed towards the Indian Premier League (IPL) and local authorities, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed the media, distancing the government from the organisation of the event.
“It was not us. We didn’t make any request regarding the celebration to RCB or KSCA. They organised it. We felt that, as it was a Bengaluru-based team, the government should be a part of the celebrations. That’s all. We didn’t ask to conduct the event—RCB and KSCA brought the team to Bengaluru for the celebrations,” clarified Siddaramaiah.
RCB and KSCA Issue Joint Statement
Both the Karnataka State Cricket Association and RCB issued a joint statement on Monday addressing the tragic incident and the loss of lives during the celebration.
“RCB and KSCA express deep concern and heartfelt condolences regarding the unfortunate incident that occurred during the celebration organised by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium earlier today.
“We are profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of life and the injuries sustained during this event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected.
“We sincerely regret this tragedy and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families during this extremely difficult time,” the statement read.
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