A night of cricket euphoria turned tragic in Bengaluru when a victory parade for the newly crowned Indian Premier League champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru descended into chaos. At least 11 people, mostly young adults, lost their lives and 47 were injured in a devastating stampede that occurred as an estimated 200,000-300,000 fans flooded streets around the 35,000-capacity stadium. The tragedy unfolded just hours after the team’s emotional first championship win following 18 years of IPL competition.
Authorities reported complete breakdowns in crowd control despite deploying the city’s entire police force. “No one expected such a huge crowd,” admitted Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who canceled the planned victory parade upon seeing the swelling numbers. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as police waded through seas of people waving sticks, attempting to direct the uncontrollable masses. The stampede’s worst impact occurred at three stadium gates where bottlenecking triggered the deadly crush.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the “absolutely heartrending” incident, while opposition leaders emphasized that “the joy of victory should never come at the cost of lives.” The catastrophe marks yet another mass casualty event in India, coming just months after 30 died at the Kumbh Mela religious gathering and following last year’s 121 fatalities at a Uttar Pradesh event. As hospitals treated the injured and metro stations near the stadium closed, Bengaluru’s long-awaited moment of sporting glory became overshadowed by preventable tragedy.
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