‘Over 3 lakh in stadium… We are very sorry’: DK Shivakumar apologies for Bengaluru stampede

By Admin

05 Jun, 2025

In a tragic turn of events, what was meant to be a joyous celebration turned into a heartbreaking catastrophe. On Wednesday, a stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals and left more than 30 injured. Thousands had gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) triumph in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but the overwhelming crowd led to chaos and panic, resulting in one of the most unfortunate incidents the city has witnessed.

Unprecedented Crowd Turnout

According to Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, while the stadium's official capacity is just 35,000, more than 3 lakh people had gathered near and around the stadium premises. The gates of the stadium were broken in the crowd surge, causing the stampede.

Speaking to the media, Shivakumar said, “This should not have happened and we never expected such a big crowd. We apologise for this incident. We want to know the facts and give a clear message.” He also mentioned that the victory programme was drastically shortened to just 10 minutes in an attempt to manage the situation.

Political Reactions and Apologies

DK Shivakumar expressed his condolences and publicly apologised for the tragedy, stating, “We are very sorry for the incident. We will work out a better solution in the future.” He also criticized opposition parties, particularly the BJP, for attempting to politicize the tragedy instead of supporting efforts to aid victims and their families.

Government Response and Support

The Karnataka government has announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of each deceased victim and assured free medical treatment for the injured. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a press briefing, declared a magisterial inquiry into the incident to establish responsibility and prevent such disasters in the future.

In respect of the victims, all government events scheduled for Thursday have been postponed, including World Environment Day celebrations. The only exception will be the cabinet meeting.

Looking Ahead

As investigations begin and families mourn their loss, questions about crowd management, planning, and safety protocols have taken center stage. This tragedy is a sobering reminder of the need for better infrastructure and crowd control mechanisms, especially during public events that can draw massive turnouts.

While the celebration of RCB’s victory has been marred by grief, the Karnataka government has promised to ensure justice for the victims and accountability for any negligence that may have occurred. The city now turns its focus toward healing and preventing such a calamity from ever happening again.