Eleven people were reported dead and many more injured in a stampede during RCB's victory celebrations in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Photo for representation: AI generated)
Bengaluru and cricket fans elsewhere are in deep shock. An event organised to celebrate the city-based Indian Premier League franchise’s first championship victory in the tournament’s 18-year history.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has confirmed the death of 11 people, including children. Many more were reported injured as the crowd went of out of control on late Wednesday afternoon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the mishap “absolutely heart rending” in a post on X.
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: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 4, 2025
What happened
A major stampede occurred outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations on Wednesday, 4 June. The event, meant to mark RCB’s first-ever IPL title win after 18 years, turned tragic as massive crowds surged, resulting in at least 11 deaths and over 30 injuries.
The crowd
Over two lakh fans gathered at the stadium, which has a capacity of just 35,000, while more than one lakh assembled outside Vidhana Soudha.
The crowd, eager to glimpse their favourite players, became uncontrollable despite a heavy police presence.
The chaos began before the official ceremony, as fans pushed towards the entry gates, leading to people being trampled and fainting.
Who are the victims?
The deceased include teenagers and young adults, with victims as young as 13 and as old as 35.
Hospitals reported multiple deaths and were treating dozens of injured fans.
What led to the stampede
The primary cause was severe overcrowding and inadequate crowd control for the unexpectedly large turnout.
Police attempted to manage the crowd, but the sheer numbers and emotional fervour of fans overwhelmed the arrangements.
The RCB team was reportedly barred from marching in the parade to prevent unrest, but the stampede happened outside as fans surged forward.
🚨 7 RCB fans dead in stampede during victory celebration at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium .#stampede #chinnaswamystadium pic.twitter.com/TtbSvFGQQ7
— Tata IPL 2025 Commentary (@IPL2025Auction) June 4, 2025
Who said what
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it an “unexpected” tragedy, stating neither the government nor the Karnataka State Cricket Association anticipated such a turnout.
He announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for each victim’s family and free treatment for the injured.
Siddaramaiah wrote on X: “The pain of tragedy has erased the joy of victory,” urging the public to prioritise safety.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “A lot of emotional fans. We had deployed 5,000 people too,” highlighting the scale of the challenge.
An RCB spokesperson said, “Fans have waited 18 years for this Cup. We need to empathise with them for their vulnerability”.
And some questions
Following the incident, some miscreants pelted stones at Vidhana Soudha, injuring several media personnel.
The tragedy has sparked questions about event preparedness and crowd management for large-scale public celebrations.
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