BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations turned tragic on Wednesday night when a stampede broke out outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium, leaving at least ten people dead and over 20 injured.
The chaos began as thousands of RCB fans gathered outside the stadium early in the evening, eager to catch a glimpse of the team arriving with the trophy.
The massive crowd triggered a stampede at several entry points, prompting police to use lathi-charge to control the surge. Authorities confirmed six deaths and multiple injuries, with the injured admitted to Bowring Hospital.
Visuals also showed fans climbing trees and buses as huge crowds gathered outside Chinnaswamy Stadium to catch a glimpse of IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The Karnataka government honoured the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team for winning their first IPL title, ending an 18-year wait for the prestigious trophy.
RCB team felicitated at Vidhana Soudha
Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, chief minister Siddaramaiah, and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar felicitated the Rajat Patidar-led team on the grand steps of the iconic Vidhana Soudha, the state legislature and secretariat building.
The crowd grew increasingly restless despite repeated police appeals to maintain order and disperse, with warnings against unlawful entry and unsafe behaviour.
The event was cut short and concluded within 10 minutes due to the massive crowd, Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said.
“I have spoken to the Police Commissioner and everyone. I will also go to the hospital later. I do not want to disturb the doctors who are taking care of the patients. The exact number cannot be told now. We appeal to the people to remain calm. We shortened the program. The program ended within 10 minutes. We are trying to make everything normal… Lakhs of people came,” he said.
In a post on X, he expressed condolences over the tragedy during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations and urged people to prioritise safety.
Agencies