Latest news with #stampede
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
Don't 'politicise' stampede incident, says BCCI VP Shukla
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president and Congress MP Rajeev Shukla believes the ruling party, Congress, "should not be blamed" for the stampede that broke out outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL winning celebrations on Wednesday. After the stampede incident, Karnataka Legislative Council member, BK Hariprasad, said that 11 people, including a woman, died in the stampede during the event. Shukla feels the stampede outside the stadium should not be "politicised" and revealed he spoke to the franchise. According to Shukla, RCB didn't expect such a huge crowd to attend the celebrations. He also assured that efforts are being made to provide maximum help to the families of the deceased. "This can happen in any state, and the ruling party should not be blamed for it. It should not be politicised. If this happens in a BJP-ruled state, we should not blame them. The crowd was huge. I spoke to the franchise, and they also did not think that such a huge crowd would come, and this incident happened suddenly. Efforts are being made to provide maximum help to the families of the deceased," Shukla told reporters. "The government did stop the roadshow in order to avoid a stampede or any such situation. But it was not anticipated that a stampede would happen outside the stadium. Everybody should work together on the damage control," he added. Opposition parties in the state, including the Janata Dal (Secular), have squarely blamed the Congress-led state government for what they describe as a complete failure of planning and public safety. Union Minister of Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy said the primary reason for this "massive tragedy is the lack of proper planning and complete failure to take precautionary measures". Kumaraswamy, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, said the state's Congress government must take full responsibility for this disaster. "The tragic incident of a stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB victory celebrations, resulting in the unfortunate death of people, has left me deeply shocked. It is extremely painful to see innocent lives lost even before the celebrations could begin," he said.
The Independent
an hour ago
- General
- The Independent
Eleven die in Bengaluru stampede during IPL title celebrations
Eleven people have died and many more were injured in a crush during a victory parade of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first ever Indian Premier League title win. The incident happened as thousands of cricket fans gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate the their side's IPL triumph. Local TV news channels showed visuals of police shifting the injured persons and those who fell unconscious to ambulances. DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister of Karnataka state, told reporters that 'the crowd was very uncontrollable." When the tragedy unfolded, the gates of the stadium "were not even opened, but there were so many people trying to push through a small gate that the stampede took place," an official said. Royal Challengers Bengaluru sealed a historic IPL championship on Tuesday and had been flown into the old HAL airport to be received by Shivakumar. They were then due to drive in a procession to the stadium before the crush occurred. With many feared dead, the casualty toll was revealed by Karnataka state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who told reporters that authorities did not expect the sheer number of people who had turned out. Stampedes are relatively common in India when large crowds gather at a place. In January, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world's largest religious gathering.
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
At least 11 people dead after stampede outside cricket stadium in India
At least 11 people are dead and more than 30 injured in a stampede on Wednesday outside a cricket stadium in southern India's Karnataka state, officials said. The incident happened as thousands of cricket fans gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru city to celebrate the winners of the Indian Premier League, which is the world's most popular T20 cricket tournament. Advertisement Karnataka state's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who uses only one name, said the crowd tried to break one of the stadium's gates and enter to take part in celebrations. Eleven people were killed and 33 others were injured, he said, adding that most of the injured were stable and receiving treatment in hospitals. 'At a time of celebration, this unfortunate event should not have happened. We are saddened by this,' he told reporters. 'No one expected this crowd.' Advertisement An ambulance arrives at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Aijaz Rahi/AP) Local TV news channels showed visuals of police shifting the injured people and those who fell unconscious to ambulances. DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister of Karnataka state, told reporters that 'the crowd was very uncontrollable'. The event was being held to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first Indian Premier League title win on Tuesday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organises the IPL, in a statement called the incident 'unfortunate'. Advertisement 'This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better,' BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident 'heartrending' and said his 'thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones'.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- General
- Sky News
At least 11 dead after stampede among Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans celebrating Indian Premier League win
At least 11 people have died after a stampede among cricket fans celebrating the winners of the Indian Premier League. Royal Challengers Bengaluru supporters were outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru city, Karnataka state, after the team won their first IPL title on Tuesday. Thousands of people were seen lining the streets as the cricket team arrived in a bus on Wednesday evening, with some seen climbing trees and the stadium wall. As the celebration proceeded, some people outside without passes tried to push through the gates. Police added that there was further trouble between the perimeter and main arena, and images showed people climbing over others. Local TV news channels showed images of police shifting the injured persons and those who fell unconscious to ambulances. A witness also told the Reuters news agency that they saw officers caning crowds at one of the gates. Karnataka state chief minister Siddaramaiah said that 11 people had died and 47 were injured in the incident. He said: "At a time of celebration, this unfortunate event should not have happened. "We are saddened by this. The fans that showed up were beyond our expectations." D.K. Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister of Karnataka state, also told reporters that "the crowd was very uncontrollable", and added: "I apologise for the overcrowding." The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organises the IPL, in a statement called the incident "unfortunate". "This is a negative side of popularity," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. "People are crazy for their cricketers." He added: "My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. I wish early recovery of the injured." The IPL is the world's most popular T20 cricket tournament. Ahead of the celebrations, the team had given away free passes for the event through its website, while also warning that numbers would be limited. Stampedes are relatively common in India when large crowds gather at a place. In January, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world's largest religious gathering.
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Eleven dead in IPL title celebration stampede
11 people have been confirmed dead and another 33 injured in a stampede at an event celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden Indian Premier League title. Figures at the scene criticised a lack of crowd control, which they said contributed to the chaos. Witnesses reported panic and confusion as the situation escalated rapidly. It is understood the stampede occurred when hundreds of people tried to enter M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB's home ground, through a gate near Cubbon Park. The star-studded RCB franchise ended a long wait to lift the IPL trophy on Tuesday, beating Punjab Kings in the 18th edition of the tournament. As the team flew back from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru – also known as Bangalore – a celebration event was hastily organised in the city to toast the title. Fans gathered at the Vidhana Soudha, the city's legislative building, and at the nearby M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Local media reported that the celebrations were so crowded that it caused a stampede, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens more. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the local government, led by rival party the Indian National Congress, of gross mismanagement. Federal Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised the Karnataka state authorities, claiming the tragedy resulted from a complete failure in planning and crowd control. 'It is truly a tragedy,' Joshi posted on X. 'Such a heartbreaking incident took place due to lack of proper arrangements, planning and crowd management. The Karnataka state government has failed to fulfil its responsibility.' Joshi added: 'The state government's lack of preparation has led to this tragedy. Not deploying emergency services is extremely irresponsible. This unfortunate incident could have been avoided. The government must take responsibility.' In response, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar suggested the crowd, largely composed of young people, had posed challenges for the police. He defended the police's response, noting that officers were constrained in their ability to use force to disperse the gathering.' The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) suspended operations at Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha Metro stations, key transit points near the stadium, from 4.30pm local time on Wednesday. Officials confirmed that the move was unprecedented and prompted by the sheer volume of people in the vicinity. RCB's victory has caused a frenzy, in part because of the long wait for a title, but also because of the involvement of Virat Kohli, one of India's finest ever batsmen. Three victims, who were taken to Bowring Hospital, were declared dead on arrival, while four others died at Vydehi Multispeciality Hospital. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has visited Bowring Hospital and confirmed that 11 people had died and 33 were injured in the incident. He also announced Rs 1 million (£10,000) for the families of the deceased. Some of the injured were administered CPR by other fans. Police struggled to move the victims to hospitals amid heavy traffic around the stadium. Several were taken in police vehicles, ambulances and private vehicles. Relatives of the deceased were found crying outside the Bowring Hospital. Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah said the pain of the tragedy has erased the joy of RCB's victory. 'It is with great shock that we heard the news that several people lost their lives and others were seriously injured in a stampede during the RCB team's victory celebrations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 'The pain of this tragedy has even erased the joy of victory,' he wrote on X. The Chief Minister wrote: 'The team was not allowed to march on the victory parade, in anticipation of an unpleasant incident that could occur due to such a stampede and the crowd becoming uncontrollable.' 'However, the accident occurred due to a stampede and a stampede that occurred due to the crowd of people gathered near the stadium,' he said. He appealed the public to understand that life is more important than love and affection, and to give safety priority. An RCB spokesperson said: 'Fans have waited 18 years for this Cup. We need to empathise with them for their vulnerability.' RCB have been one of the best-supported IPL clubs since the league's inception, with their popularity tied to Kohli, who has been with them since the start. The 36-year-old recently retired from Test cricket and occupies an exalted status in the Indian game. Among those in the crowd for the final was former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is an RCB fan because his wife's family are from Bengaluru. The couple were photographed with Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma, the famous Bollywood actress, after the game. RCB's squad included English players Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell (who had returned home before the final), as well as director of cricket Mo Bobat and analyst Freddie Wilde. The IPL was due to finish on May 25, but took an eight-day break following the opening of hostilities between India and Pakistan last month.
