Tragic Stampede Claims Lives During RCB IPL Victory Celebration in Bengaluru
Devastating Incident at RCB Celebration
Bengaluru: In a tragic turn of events, the Karnataka government has reported that at least 11 individuals lost their lives and over 30 sustained injuries during a stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. This chaos erupted as a massive crowd gathered to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bangalore's first IPL trophy win. In response, the government has pledged Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the families of those who died and has initiated a magisterial inquiry.
During a press briefing, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his sorrow, stating, "A significant tragedy has unfolded during the victory celebration. Eleven lives have been lost, and 33 people are injured."
He further elaborated, "I visited Bowring and Vaidehi hospitals. This incident, occurring amidst a celebration, is deeply saddening. The turnout exceeded our expectations, with around one lakh people in front of Vidhana Soudha. Although the Chinnaswamy Stadium can accommodate 35,000, we saw a crowd of approximately 2 to 3 lakh people."
The Chief Minister noted, "We did not anticipate such a large gathering. Most of the deceased are young individuals. Each family of the deceased will receive Rs 10 lakh, and those injured will receive free medical treatment."
Medical professionals have confirmed that all injured individuals are currently stable.
Siddaramaiah added, "I pray for the souls of the deceased and their families. I am ordering a magisterial inquiry into this incident, and appropriate actions will be taken against those responsible."
He emphasized that this was an unforeseen event, stating, "No one could have predicted this incident."
When questioned about whether he was attempting to absolve authorities by labeling the event as unexpected, the Chief Minister responded that the media should refrain from asking questions akin to those from an opposition party.
He reiterated, "I mentioned that the crowd size was unexpected. The magisterial inquiry will investigate any security lapses and other failures. I have instructed them to submit their findings within 15 days."
In light of criticism from the BJP, Siddaramaiah remarked that he does not wish to engage in political disputes over the incident. "I prefer not to politicize this matter. Let's await the results of the inquiry," he concluded.