'We never expected such a crowd', Shivakumar on stampede
Bengaluru, June 5 (UNI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said the state government is deeply shocked and saddened by the stampede incident during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebrations, describing it as a 'personal family tragedy' and asserting that no one had anticipated such an overwhelming turnout.
Responding to criticism from opposition parties, Shivakumar said, 'BJP and JD(S) always play politics. That has been their agenda. But they should reflect on their own role. This is not the time for blame games.'
He acknowledged the scale of the tragedy, which claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured, saying the event had dealt a blow to the image of both Bengaluru and Karnataka. 'We are deeply hurt. This is our own family. We never expected such a crowd—no one did. After eight years, no one realised what was brewing in public emotion,' he said.
Describing the government's emotional state, Shivakumar added, 'Our Chief Minister is shocked. Our Home Minister is shocked. The entire government is in mourning. Just a few minutes ago, I was in tears. These were our people. The loss is ours.'
He said the crowd swell was driven by excitement over RCB's maiden IPL title and the desire of fans to see the players. 'People came with emotion. They wanted to be part of this moment. Unfortunately, unimaginable things happened.'
The Deputy CM appealed for unity in grief, stating that the priority now was to honour the victims and support the bereaved.
'Let us be part of the grief. Let us respect them. The image of Karnataka and the image of Bengaluru has suffered. Families have suffered.'
He refrained from naming individuals responsible but said the government takes moral responsibility and will conduct a thorough probe into the lapse.
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