11 Killed In Stampede Outside India’s Cricket Stadium
At least 11 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, in the capital city of Karnataka, southern India, as thousands gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic Indian Premier League (IPL) victory.
According to India’s broadcaster NDTV, the stampede broke out on Wednesday as massive crowds surged around the stadium to greet the RCB team, fresh from their maiden IPL championship win.
The chaos resulted in at least 50 injuries and left scenes of panic and devastation, with visuals showing several fans collapsed on the ground as emergency teams rushed to provide aid.
RCB had defeated Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final the previous day, securing the franchise’s first title in the league’s 18-year history.
A grand celebration and victory parade had been planned in Bengaluru, with the team touching down in the city that afternoon.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar welcomed the team at the airport, and a heavy police presence was arranged for the event. Despite that, authorities admitted the crowd quickly became unmanageable.
“This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement, describing the incident as “unfortunate”.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.
“The pain of this tragedy has erased the joy of victory. I am deeply shocked to hear the news of the stampede during the RCB team’s victory celebrations… May the souls of the deceased rest in peace, and those injured recover soon,” he said in a statement.
The Chief Minister also said the team’s planned victory procession had been restricted due to security concerns.
“This tragedy occurred as people crowded near the stadium like an ocean. I appeal to the public to understand that love and respect are important, but safety must always come first.”
Stampedes remain a recurring danger in India during major events and large gatherings.
In January, over 30 people died in a religious stampede during the Maha Kumbh festival. One month later, a crush at New Delhi Railway Station left around 18 people dead and at least 10 injured.
11 Killed In Stampede Outside India’s Cricket Stadium is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
