At least 11 people, including two children, have died and dozens more were injured in a stampede during celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first IPL title victory in southern India.
Hundreds of thousands of fans had gathered outside their home team’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in Wednesday despite a lack of clear organisation or police presence, with the stampede taking place after RCB’s official X account announced a victory parade with less than two hours’ notice.
The incident is being described as potentially the worst fan-related tragedy in Indian cricket history. All the fatalities were young men and women, including a 14-year-old girl named in media reports as Divyanshi and a 17-year-old named Shivalingaiah. The oldest victim was a 33-year-old male.
More than 30 people were hospitalised with injuries, most in stable condition and receiving treatment.
Karnataka’s chief minister Siddaramaiah, who goes by a single name, said the crowd far exceeded expectations and at least six to nine times more people had turned up than the stadium could hold, overwhelming security arrangements.
He noted that while the stadium’s capacity is 35,000, more than 200,000 to 300,000 people had gathered for the event organised by the state cricket association.
“At a time of celebration, this unfortunate event should not have happened. We are saddened by this. No one expected this crowd,” Mr Siddaramaiah told reporters. “A moment of joy has been eclipsed by sorrow.”
In the aftermath, pictures and videos showed scattered footwear, bags, and personal belongings, left behind in the panic. Broken barricades and damaged gates pointed to desperate attempts to push through, while some individuals were seen climbing trees, walls, and fences for a view or to escape the crush.
Poor crowd management, confusion, and rumours have been blamed for the deadly stampede. An official investigation has been launched, as opposition parties criticised apparent security lapses.
The day began with an already electrified fan base, thrilled by the team’s first IPL victory, being thrown into overdrive when RCB announced at 7am that there would be a victory parade that day, without sharing any further details. Crowds began assembling outside the stadium from early in the morning on the off chance that they might see their heroes.
The RCB players arrived in the city on a special flight at HAL airport at around 2pm, where they were welcomed by deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar.
This was a precursor to a reception on the steps of the majestic Vidhana Soudha – the seat of the state legislature – where Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, chief minister Mr Siddaramaiah and other ministers met the team.
It was not until around 3pm that the RCB account said the victory parade had been confirmed for 5pm and that it would be a free event. They also said it would be a limited-entry event and passes would be available on their website.
This only added to the confusion, as hundreds of thousands had already gathered in person at the stadium, where there was no clear information on gate entry points.
“The frenzy was so overwhelming that people didn’t even care about getting pierced by the fence as they climbed over it to get inside,” said Chandrashekhar Raju, a resident of Gandhi Bazaar, as quoted by The Hindu.
By 4pm, the situation had become uncontrollable. Police announced the stadium was full and urged people to disperse, while metro services at the nearby Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha stations were suspended to control the crowd.
At 4.51pm, a stampede broke out near gate number seven of the stadium, while the event with government ministers was still taking place at Vidhana Soudha, just 1.8 km away.
Eyewitnesses said the crush occurred when a group of people fell while the crowd surged toward another gate, many without passes attempting to force entry.
After 5.30pm, a delayed and scaled-down parade took place inside the stadium. RCB players waved the trophy from their dressing room balcony to the crowd already inside.
Many on social media criticised the celebrations that went ahead inside the stadium while scenes of sorrow and grief were already emerging from outside, where emergency services were struggling to control the situation.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organises the IPL, in a statement called the incident “unfortunate”.
“This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said: “The mishap in Bengaluru is absolutely heartrending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those who are injured have a speedy recovery.”
Star batsman Virat Kohli, who enjoys a huge fan following, wrote on Instagram that he was “at a loss for words” and “absolutely gutted.”
Mr Siddaramaiah announced compensation would be paid of Rs 1m (£8,600) to each victim’s family.
Stampedes are not uncommon in the world’s most populated country where religious and celebratory events draw large numbers of crowds.
In January, at least 30 people died when tens of thousands of Hindus surged to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering.
More than 100 people were killed in a stampede in northern India in July 2024 following another Hindu religious gathering, one of the deadliest such accidents in years. Thousands had gathered at a makeshift tent for an event led by a Hindu preacher in Uttar Pradesh state.
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