‘We tried to help, but police told us to go back': Workers on tragic Bengaluru stampede

Time of India

a day ago

Eleven people lost their lives on Wednesday evening outside Bengaluru's
M Chinnaswamy Stadium
, as a celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory turned into chaos. Over 3 lakh fans swarmed the area for a glimpse of their cricketing heroes. With barricades broken and people forcing entry from every direction, emergency services were crippled.
Footwear littered the ground — from fancy sandals to a child's tiny slippers. Some were stained with dried blood. A cleaning crew collected 150 garbage bags worth of items, offering a grim picture of what had happened the night before, as reported by TOI.
'What if it were my child?'
The human cost became clear the next morning.
Rupa, 25, who was cleaning near Gate No. 7 — one of the worst-hit areas — said: 'We found just about every kind of shoe — expensive ones, glittering women's chappals and even a five-year-old's slippers. What's the point of being rich or well-dressed if you end up getting crushed to death in a crowd? All I could think of was the agony the victims must have gone through.'
Subuli, 40, a mother of two, said: 'When we came in the morning, it was like a war zone. I came across a small child's slippers, and all I could think was, 'what if it were my child?' How would I feel if I were in that situation?'
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The physical damage — broken doors, smashed staircases, damaged fencing — may be repaired. But the memories for those who witnessed the carnage will remain.
Broken barricades, broken systems
From the compound walls to nearby Cubbon Park, signs of desperation were everywhere. People had climbed fences and trees, torn their clothes on barbed wire, and trampled the park's greenery. Torn shirts, lost caps, broken glasses — all scattered.
Shashi S, a stadium staffer for 18 years, recalled the panic: 'We were here yesterday but were asked to serve guests inside. Around 4.45pm, the crowd outside began to grow. It was terrifying. We were scared since people were barging in any which way.'
Security personnel, overwhelmed and outnumbered, could only watch as order broke down. 'We saw people falling, limping, screaming in pain,' said a security guard, as reported by TOI. 'All my life, I'll probably carry the guilt of not doing enough to help them.'
Emergency services delayed
Doctors and medical staff confirmed delays and confusion.
As reported by TOI, Dr Humera at Vydehi Super Speciality Hospital said, 'The first injured arrived at 3.45pm, followed by others at 4.10pm, 4.45pm, and 5.30pm. Unfortunately, all those brought in during that time were declared dead on arrival.'
Her hospital received seven patients — four were already dead, and two were under treatment. One person was treated as an outpatient.
A nurse at Bowring and Lady
Curzon Hospital
said, 'Six of the deceased were brought dead. Of the remaining, 10 have been discharged, and four are still being treated.'
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who visited the injured at Bowring, said: 'I was really pained after hearing from a deceased's mother. The state government stands with the victims and will ensure proper medical care for the injured.'
Medical booth overrun
Even the medics weren't spared. Ambulances positioned in advance struggled to move amid the choking crowd. At a booth outside Gate No. 10, staff attempted to bring in stretchers. But the crowd turned on them.
A medical worker said: 'When we were taking the stretchers in, some 20 people used that as a ploy, grabbed one of the stretchers and tried to barge into the stadium. They delayed us from reaching the injured.'
Jagannath B R, a hotel employee, described a similar scene: 'Many, including police, called ambulances from different hospitals, but the large crowd outside gates affected movement of ambulances.'
The Karnataka High Court noted that only two ambulances had been officially deployed for an event that drew lakhs. Judges observed that timely CPR could have saved lives.
'We were told to go back inside'
Some workers who tried to help were pushed away. Begum (name changed), a 22-year-old cleaning staffer, said: 'I tried to step out and was shocked to see a woman lying dead right there. Police told us to go back inside. We had no choice. Not being able to do anything was heartbreaking.'
Abhigayle (name changed), 18, said: 'It was heartbreaking seeing so many young fans in distress. The victims' families were crying and carrying their loved ones from the main gate. I didn't sleep until early morning after seeing all that.'
Fans speak: 'It was heartless'
Eyewitnesses painted a chilling picture of crowd frenzy.
Niranjan Gowda, a software engineer, said, 'There was absolutely no crowd control. People were just pouring in without even showing passes. The barricades had been trampled, people were climbing onto trees, and the area was littered with abandoned footwear.'
He saw a police officer try to save two people gasping for air. But around them, no one helped. 'Everyone was fixated on getting inside and recording videos. It was heartless.'
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium, normally a site of celebration and unity, has now become a symbol of tragedy. Behind the red and gold of RCB's success lies the story of lives lost, warnings unheeded, and systems that cracked under pressure.
The aftermath is not just broken glass and torn fences. It's in the eyes of those who saw it all and can't forget.