Bengaluru Stampede: How RCB’s IPL Victory Celebration Turned Tragic

By A Staff Reporter

Bengaluru: What was meant to be a moment of celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) turned into a horrific tragedy on Wednesday evening, as a stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives and left over 30 people injured.

The event, held to commemorate RCB’s maiden IPL title win, attracted an unexpectedly massive turnout. Authorities estimate that between 2 to 3 lakh people thronged the vicinity of the stadium — far exceeding its 35,000-seat capacity. While the cricket association had only planned an internal stadium celebration, RCB’s late announcement of a 5 PM victory parade sparked confusion and a massive public surge.

By afternoon, tens of thousands had converged around the stadium. Police struggled to control the crowd, estimated at around 50,000 within a 1-km radius. As people attempted to push through narrow gates, climb fences, and even scale trees and cars to gain entry, the pressure became too much to manage. In some areas, the gates broke down, triggering a deadly stampede.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah cited “poor coordination” and the unexpected turnout as key causes, noting that no one anticipated such numbers. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar called the situation “absolutely uncontrollable.” Despite heavy police deployment, officers admitted the crowd overwhelmed them. “We had to resort to lathi-charge at some points,” a senior officer said.

Tragically, many of the deceased were young men and women — several of them students.

Further complicating the situation was miscommunication about ticketing and access. Conflicting messages on social media led thousands to show up hoping for free or purchasable passes. The last-minute change in plans created a chaotic rush, adding to the confusion and ultimately contributing to the deadly crush.