Crowd frenzy, small entry: What caused the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 people?

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2 days ago

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s victory in the IPL was 18 years in the making, and fans were desperate to catch a glimpse of their cricket heroes. Such was the frenzy that it led to a deadly stampede on Wednesday, killing 11 people, mostly young men and women. But what went wrong outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium? Was it a case of overcrowding, or was it just poor planning? read more
Police personnel assist a stampede victim as he gasps to breathe near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, after a huge crowd gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ended in a disaster. At least 11 people were killed in the stampede. AFP
It was supposed to be a day of celebrations, pure joy, pride, and 18 years in the making. Instead, dark clouds hover over Bengaluru as tragedy unfolded at the Chinnaswamy Stadium after 11 people died in a stampede as thousands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) diehard fans crowded the area to catch a glimpse of the team after their first-ever IPL title win.
Shortly after the tragedy, RCB's Virat Kohli expressed his sorrow and shock. Sharing the team's official statement on Instagram, he added a personal, which read: 'At a loss for words. Absolutely gutted.'
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But what went wrong? How did a simple plan of celebration turn into a death trap for many? What led to the stampede? Who's to blame?
A crowd surge unlike any other
After a night of celebrating their win, the RCB team made their way to Bengaluru, Karnataka to mark their victory with the fans of the team. After landing in Bengaluru, the RCB team visited Vidhan Soudha to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The energy and excitement among the fans were palpable from the moment the team landed in Bengaluru; after all, this triumph took 18 long years and lots of heartbreak over the course of time.
Fans gather to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketers, winners of the IPL, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. AP
Initially, the team had announced that they would hold a victory parade in an open bus from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium, roughly one kilometre away, before an event at the stadium for which limited free passes would be available online.
However, a few hours later, the traffic police announced that there would be no victory parade. But the event at Chinnaswamy Stadium, which can seat around 32,000 people, would continue as planned.
Here's where things come to a head.
Crowds had thronged the gates of the stadium, trying to get in. One of the cricket enthusiasts, Chandrashekhar Raju, told _The Hind_u, 'My wife and I arrived near the stadium at about 2 pm, and we were waiting near Gate 20. Sometime between 3 pm and 3.30 pm, as they opened the gates for people to get in, the crowds started pushing one another to get in. The madness was such that people did not even bother about getting pierced by the fence when they were climbing over it to get in.'
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Others also echo similar sentiments. Inayath, an eyewitness to the incident, was quoted as telling Indian Express, 'Everyone just flooded in. In the chaos, some people fell on to the ground. There was nobody to control the crowd or offer help.'
People rummage through footwear strewn outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium after a stampede caused by frenzied fans celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory in the Indian Premier League cricket tournament. AP
Venu, a diehard RCB fan, was also present at the stadium when the tragedy unfolded. He told News18, 'I was among the people in the crowds, but after a point, I couldn't even breathe. I gave up. I thought it was best to leave the place and tried to pull out, but the crowds were so packed I could not move. Suddenly, I got pushed and the police barricade fell on my leg. All I could feel was excruciating pain and writhed until I was saved by a policeman who pulled me aside.'
Another survivor, Rahul, also chimed in. We had booked tickets on the platform that was selling them, but were unable to download it. So we thought we would go to the stadium, scan the code and enter. But the crowds began to swell, and when we tried to go in, we were pushed around. I suddenly found myself on the ground with severe pain in my neck,' he was quoted as telling News18.
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Fans pay no heed
According to authorities, crowd numbers rose to epic proportions around 4.15 pm and it became very evident that the cop deployment of 5,000 would not be enough for the swelling crowds.
As the stadium began to fill with the crowds, the police made desperate pleas for the supporters who had assembled outside to disperse, but to no avail. Unable to gain entry, the crowd started banging on the gates and even managed to climb nearby trees and even the stadium wall to jump in.
One official, who did not wish to be named, told News18, 'People did not heed our advisories or the repeated public announcements asking them to disperse. They were determined to enter the venue no matter what.'
Fans stand next to abandonned shoes and a fallen barrier following a stampede during celebrations, a day after Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory at the Indian Premier League (IPL), outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. AFP
Even other eyewitnesses recount that the fans ignored the police's directions. 'People were rushing in droves towards the stadium, and many were pushing towards the gates. The entry gates are small. Only those with passes or tickets were allowed inside, but many had gathered simply to be part of the celebrations, without tickets,' said Sandeep Prathamesh.
Confusion over a victory parade
Many note that the stampede at the Chinnaswamy stadium also occurred owing to contrasting statements on a victory parade.
The RCB team's management announced that they would hold a victory parade at 5 pm. 'Victory Parade will be followed by celebrations at the Chinnaswamy stadium. We request all fans to follow guidelines set by police and other authorities so that everyone can enjoy the roadshow peacefully. free passes (limited entry) available on shop.royalchallengers.com,' it said in a post on X.
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However, the Bengaluru Police had earlier stated that there would be no victory parade. This led fans to go into a frenzy to get into the stadium to enjoy with the RCB team.
Police officers make way for an ambulance following a stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Reuters
Authorities Speak
At the end of it all, the stampede claimed the lives of 11 people with another 30 being injured. Most of the deceased were youths, including men and women, with several of them being students. The government has also promised a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to their families. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered an investigation into the tragedy with a report expected within 15 days.
He also said, 'The match happened last evening (Tuesday) and today this event was organised by the cricket association, so no one had expected that so many people would come. The expectation was the equivalent number of people for the stadium's capacity or slightly more than that may gather.'
CM Siddaramaiah added, 'There are small gates. The people entered through the gates. They have broken the gates also, so a stampede took place. Nobody had expected so much of a crowd to come. Prima facie looks like that. I'm not saying nothing has happened. The inquiry will bring out facts.'
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has also apologised for overcrowding at the venue and said they had made all efforts, including keeping the programme short.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed shock and sorrow at the incident. He wrote on X, 'The mishap in Bengaluru is absolutely heartrending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those who are injured have a speedy recovery.'
Meanwhile, opposition leaders have slammed the state government. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy accused Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of being responsible for the stampede. Kumaraswamy alleged that the incident was caused by the Karnataka deputy chief minister's 'impatience, immaturity, and irresponsibility'.
With inputs from agencies