A tragic incident occurred in Bengaluru, Karnataka state, as a stampede resulted in multiple casualties during a crowd’s attempt to enter a cricket stadium. Crowds of cricket fans had assembled outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to revel in the celebration of the Indian Premier League’s champions. This tournament is renowned worldwide and has a massive following for T20 cricket.
While the official number of fatalities hasn’t been disclosed by authorities, reports from local media vary, with NDTV suggesting that at least 11 lives were lost, and The Times of India indicating seven deaths in the chaotic scene. Television broadcasts displayed distressing images of individuals sprawled on the ground, with emergency teams working swiftly to transport the injured to ambulances.
The excitement was palpable among cricket enthusiasts as they gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s inaugural Indian Premier League title victory achieved just the day before. Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, acknowledged the chaos, describing the throng as exceedingly difficult to manage.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which oversees the IPL, expressed sorrow over the unfortunate event. Devajit Saikia, BCCI’s secretary, reflected on the incident by noting the intense devotion of cricket fans in India and emphasized the need for better organizational planning to handle such large gatherings.
Stampedes are not uncommon in India, largely due to the cultural propensity for massive public congregations. Earlier in January, a similar tragedy occurred when a crowd of Hindu devotees gathered at the Maha Kumbh festival, resulting in over 30 fatalities as participants clambered to bathe in a sacred river during the event, which is the largest religious congregation on Earth.