BENGALURU, June 4 – A stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday evening claimed 10 lives and left several others injured as thousands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans gathered to celebrate the team’s first-ever IPL title. The celebration spiraled into chaos as crowd control failed, prompting police to resort to lathi-charge at multiple entry gates.
The injured were rushed to Bowring Hospital. Eyewitnesses described scenes of desperation, with fans climbing stadium walls and fences to enter the venue, many lacking valid entry passes.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar called the tragedy a “heartbreaking turn to what should have been a joyful occasion.” Urging fans to stay safe, he said, “Let there be love for the team, but nothing is more valuable than life.”
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) had organised a felicitation ceremony for the squad inside the stadium. Authorities are now under fire for underestimating the crowd despite cancelling the open-top bus parade earlier.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Metro stations — particularly SV Road, Indiranagar, Halasuru, and Trinity — saw record overcrowding. Commuters were stranded as trains were packed beyond capacity, and traffic diversions added to the citywide gridlock. Social media was flooded with visuals likening the scenes to festival stampedes or political rallies.
Questions are now being raised over lack of planning and safety measures, with calls for accountability from city officials and event organisers.
