Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed shock and extended condolences to the families of 11 people who were killed in a stampede during the IPL victory celebrations of RCB in Bengaluru today.
He described the tragedy as a devastating blow to what should have been a moment of collective joy.
“The government and the cricket association organised a victory ceremony today. No one imagined such a tragedy would unfold,” he said.
Eleven people were killed and 33 injured on Wednesday evening when
A massive crowd surge marred Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long-awaited IPL victory celebrations outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, leading to a stampede that killed 11 people and injured 33.
According to the chief minister, the stadium’s 35,000-seat capacity was overwhelmed as “around 2 to 3 lakh people came to the stadium,” while an additional one lakh fans gathered in front of Vidhana Soudha.
Despite earlier concerns over crowd control that led authorities to cancel an open-bus victory parade, the “overwhelming sea of fans near the stadium led to an uncontrollable situation resulting in this tragic stampede,” Siddaramaiah explained.
In his post on X, written in Kannada, the chief minister said the loss “has erased the joy of victory,” adding, “May the souls of the deceased rest in peace and those injured and undergoing treatment in the hospital recover as soon as possible. My condolences to the grieving families.”
Siddaramaiah confirmed a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each bereaved family and free medical treatment for the injured.
A deputy Commissioner-level inquiry has been ordered to determine how the event turned deadly.
The opposition BJP criticised the administration for failing to manage the crowds safely, but Siddaramaiah maintained that officials had anticipated difficulties and taken precautionary steps.
“While we understand the love and passion for sports, human life must remain paramount above all else,” he said, urging citizens to prioritise safety at large gatherings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the stampede in Bengaluru during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations, describing the incident as “absolutely heartrending.”
Extending condolences to the bereaved families, he said, “In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones.” The Prime Minister also wished a swift recovery to those injured in the mishap.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia criticised the organisers for inadequate planning. Calling the incident “most unfortunate,” Saikia stressed that the celebrations should have been handled with greater foresight and coordination to ensure public safety.
Karnataka deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday acknowledged the massive turnout and admitted that crowd control had become a challenge.
"I apologise for the overcrowding," he said. "We arranged more than 5,000 personnel. This is a young vibrant crowd, we can't use lathi on them," he added.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also expressed deep anguish over the tragic stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, criticising the Karnataka government for what he described as a gross failure in planning and crowd management.
“Absolutely gutted by the tragic reports coming in from Chinnaswamy. What should have been a celebration of joy and loyalty turned into a fatal disaster,” Surya said in a statement.
Taking aim at the state leadership, he alleged that while the government was preoccupied with taking credit for RCB’s historic IPL win—with the Chief Minister himself issuing an open invitation for the public celebration—no ground-level arrangements were made to ensure safety.
“Despite being aware of the developing situation since last night, the government failed to plan appropriately and resorted to bizarre, last-minute decisions,” Surya added.
He demanded immediate compensation for the victims and accountability from those responsible. “This is not what the people of Bengaluru and RCB deserved,” the MP said.