Celebrations marking Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long-awaited IPL 2025 victory ended in tragedy as stampedes at two locations in Bengaluru claimed at least 11 lives. The chaos unfolded outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and the Vidhana Soudha, where the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and state officials were holding felicitation events for the RCB squad.
The disaster began when tens of thousands of fans gathered near the Chinnaswamy Stadium early on Wednesday, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite players, including Virat Kohli. Eyewitnesses said the crowd grew increasingly unmanageable, with some fainting and others crushed during sudden surges. Visuals showed police and emergency teams rushing unconscious and injured individuals to Bowring Hospital, which received a steady stream of patients throughout the day.
Another deadly stampede occurred at the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the Karnataka government, where the RCB team had arrived directly from the airport to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Officials confirmed two of the 11 reported deaths happened here, further marring what was supposed to be a jubilant public occasion.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who personally greeted the players and presented flags to Virat Kohli and others, issued an apology for the mismanagement. “The crowd was uncontrollable. We deployed more than 5,000 police personnel, but this is a young, passionate crowd. We could not resort to force,” he told reporters. Shivakumar also stated the felicitation ceremony was cut short to prevent further incidents.
Despite the state cancelling the planned victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium due to security concerns, massive crowds still flooded metro stations, roads, and nearby trees just to glimpse the RCB heroes. Police reportedly began crowd control measures as early as Tuesday night, anticipating large turnouts, but were ultimately overwhelmed.
The tragic events have sparked widespread grief and criticism, with many questioning the preparation and crowd management capabilities during such a high-profile public event. As the city mourns, officials are expected to launch inquiries into what went wrong, and how such losses could have been prevented.
