Want to stay here too: Father cries over grave of son killed in Bengaluru stampede
New updates following the Bengaluru stampede in which 11 people were killed have been making the headlines lately. And now, a video from Karnataka's Hassan district that shows a father mourning the loss of his 21-year-old son is going viral.BT Lakshman, father of Bhumik Lakshman - one of the 11 victims who died in the stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium - is seen in the video crying inconsolably and refusing to leave his son's grave. "I don't want to go anywhere else now. I want to stay here too," he sobs, lying flat on the ground.advertisementWATCH:
Bhumik, a 21-year-old from Hassan, was amongst nearly 50 others injured during the crowd surge on Wednesday at an event held to felicitate IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The celebratory function, organised outside the Vidhana Soudha, turned tragic after the crowd swelled uncontrollably. Among the deceased were three teenagers and several youths aged between 20 and 35."The land I had bought for him is where his memorial has been built," Mr Lakshman says, surrounded by villagers as two men gently try to lift him to his feet. 'What happened to my son should not happen to anyone. No father should have to face what I am facing.'The video, widely shared on social media, has sparked outrage, with the Karnataka BJP accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar of ignoring basic crowd management in favour of political optics.
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A tweet from the party's official handle reads, "Murderous CM @siddaramaiah sir, murderous DCM @DKShivakumar sir, if you had made up your mind, you could have taken a photo with your children and grandchildren in a luxurious hotel with a cup. But your insistence on taking a photo on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha has made 11 families wash their hands in tears every day. Can you give this father his son back, sitting in front of his son's grave and crying?!"The state government has come under increasing pressure since the incident. Four people have been arrested in connection with the stampede, and five senior police officials - including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner - have been suspended. On Friday, the Karnataka government sacked CM Siddaramaiah's political secretary, K Govindaraj, and removed the chief of the state intelligence department.
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NDTV
22 minutes ago
- NDTV
"No Time To...": NDTV Accesses Cops' Letter Hours Before Bengaluru Stampede
Bengaluru: The police force deployed at the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru had warned against the idea of holding the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s IPL trophy celebrations at the grand stairs of the premises, and also raised concerns over the security challenges that would arise due to a shortage of staff at the state legislature's security wing. In a letter to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on June 4, a day after the RCB registered its first-ever victory in the IPL game, Vidhana Soudha's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) MN Karibasavana Gowda pointed at the lack of time for security preparedness to tackle "lakhs of cricket fans" expected at the spot. He also highlighted the shortage of CCTV cameras around and in front of the Vidhana Soudha, since it is a "vital installation". The details of the letter, reviewed by NDTV, come at a time when the state government is under heavy fire over its alleged mismanagement of the celebrations at the state legislature and the Chinnaswamy stadium, where a stampede killed 11 people, including a 14-year-old girl. Four people, including an RCB marketing head, have been arrested so far. In his letter to the state government, the DCP said: "As the Royal Challengers Bangalore team has a large fan following across the country, holding the felicitation at the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha may attract lakhs of cricket fans, potentially creating security challenges due to a shortage of officers/staff in the Vidhana Soudha security wing." The police officer listed a set of challenges and also recommended a series of measures that should be undertaken to tackle them. He stressed the need for "additional police personnel from outside" to oversee the security, even though it will "require sufficient preparation time". "Coordination with the Law & Order and Traffic Police departments is essential for such a large-scale event, and the current time frame seems inadequate for full preparedness," he said. It also flagged the possibility of the usage of drone cameras by the public and recommended that an Anti-Drone System be installed at the venue. The police advised against the entry of family members of the secretariat staff for the felicitation programme. "The event is to be held at 4:00 PM on 04.06.2025. There is a high chance that Secretariat officers/staff may bring their family members to the venue. Therefore, it is requested that orders be issued prohibiting staff from bringing families and declaring an afternoon holiday for Secretariat staff on the said date. Further, they should be instructed not to attend the event venue," he said. Mr Gowda recommended that "all online and offline passes for public entry to Vidhana Soudha be completely restricted on that day". He said the stage setup for felicitating the players must be certified for structural stability by the Public Works Department (PWD). "Organisers should be informed to make the stage available for inspection at least two hours in advance," he said. "As electrical equipment will be used at the event, a fitness certificate must be obtained from the concerned PWD (Electrical) Assistant Executive Engineer. A formal letter should be sent to them for this purpose," he added. Organisers should be instructed to make the stage available at least two hours before the program for anti-sabotage checks, Mr Gowda said. The officer noted that given that the Vidhana Soudha is a heritage and vital installation building, "it is essential that the program be conducted strictly as per security norms without causing any damage to the structure". "However, the government's final decision will be followed accordingly," he said. On Thursday, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, against RCB, DNA Entertainment and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). According to the state government, DNA Entertainment managed the victory celebrations, while the KSCA organised the event. The KSCA said it had sought permission for the event. Preliminary findings indicated the RCB, DNA Entertainment and KSCA went ahead with the event despite permission not being given. KSCA president Raghuram Bhat, secretary A Shankar and treasurer E S Jayaram on Friday approached the Karnataka High Court, saying the FIR was a "serious miscarriage of justice and seeks to pin responsibility on the wrong parties". Several officials, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, have been suspended for alleged laxity that led to the stampede.
Indian Express
22 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Karnataka hikes compensation for Bengaluru stampede victims' kin from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh
The Karnataka government has increased the compensation announced for victims of the stampede that took place on Tuesday during the IPL victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. While the government initially announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each of the victims, along with free treatment to the injured, kin of the stampede victims will now receive a compensation of Rs 25 lakh. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office on Saturday evening. As many as 11 people died in the stampede near the stadium on Wednesday, a day after RCB lifted their maiden Indian Premier League trophy. All of them died due to asphyxiation as a massive crowd, numbering close to three lakh, tried to enter the stadium to celebrate the team's victory. Following the incident, multiple FIRs were registered and top police officials including then Commissioner of Police B Dayananda were suspended. MLC B Govindaraju was removed as political secretary to the chief minister for his role in organising the celebrations, while representatives of RCB and the Karnataka State Cricket Association were arrested by the police over the incident.
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
'This land was meant for his future': Father clings to son's grave who died in Bengaluru stampede; watch
NEW DELHI: In the aftermath of the deadly stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where 11 people lost their lives and 75 were injured during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebrations, stories of profound personal loss are emerging. Father's emotional video at son's grave goes viral after Bengaluru stampede One video, in particular, has captured the raw anguish — a father sobbing at his son's grave, clinging to the soil where his dreams were buried. BT Lakshman, father of 21-year-old Bhumik Lakshman is seen lying face down on his son's grave in Hassan district. Overcome with grief, he weeps inconsolably, refusing to leave. 'What happened to my son should not happen to anyone else,' he cries out. 'This land was meant for his future. Now, it holds his memory.' When two men approach to lift him, Lakshman says he no longer wants to live anywhere else. 'No father should have to bear this,' he says, broken by the loss. Bhumik, a college student, had gone to the stadium with a group of friends to watch RCB players take a victory lap. In the chaos, he got separated — and never made it back. His death is one among many that have devastated families across Karnataka. Stampede turns celebration into sorrow: Full list of victims Manoj Kumar , 18, a second-year BBM student from Presidency College, was another victim. His father, Devaraj NT, a pani puri vendor, is struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. 'He loved cricket so much. His eyes used to sparkle when he talked about the game,' Devaraj said. 'Now they're shut forever, and so is my world.' Devaraj described his son as a young man full of hope and ambition. 'He wanted to lift us out of poverty. He saw how hard I worked and promised to change our lives.' Shravan , 20, a second-year BDS student at Ambedkar Medical and Dental College, had travelled from Chintamani to be part of the celebrations. His future, too, was abruptly cut short. Shivalinga , a Class 10 graduate from Honigere village in Yadgir, had just collected his school leaving certificate when he decided to drop by the stadium. The teenager, whose parents work as daily wage labourers, had ambitions beyond what his humble background could offer. Now, those dreams lie shattered. Prajwal , 22, had just appeared for a job interview and joined the crowd at Chinnaswamy on a whim. His family thought he was heading home. Kamatchi Devi , 29, worked at Amazon and was a devoted Virat Kohli fan. For her, the day was supposed to be a joyful celebration. 'She couldn't wait to be there,' her colleague recalled. But instead of joy, the day ended in tragedy. Divyanshi , just 14, was coaxed into skipping school by her mother Ashwini so they could see their favourite team in person. 'Maybe you'll see Virat Kohli,' her mother had said. The teenager's excitement turned fatal. Sahana , 25, a Bosch employee and the main breadwinner for her family, had gone to the stadium with friends. While they escaped with injuries, she did not survive. 'She was going to be married next year,' her uncle said. 'What can ever make up for this?' Other victims included Chinmayi Shetty , Akshata Pai , and Poornachandra , whose families are now mourning the loss of loved ones who simply went to share in the joy of a team's victory.
