New Delhi/Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations.
“The mishap in Bengaluru is absolutely heartrending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those who are injured have a speedy recovery,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.
The stampede occurred when thousands of fans gathered outside the stadium in the city’s central business district to catch a glimpse of their favourite players and the IPL trophy. A sudden surge in the crowd led to chaos and suffocation, resulting in multiple casualties.
At least 11 people are feared dead and over 50 others injured.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia said, “Organisers should have planned RCB’s IPL-winning celebrations better.”
He acknowledged the scale of the celebrations but pointed out a lack of adequate crowd control measures.”
Senior Congress leader and MLC BK Hariprasad also expressed anguish over the incident.
“The incident in which more than 11 people, including women, died in a stampede during the RCB cricket team’s victory parade in Bengaluru is extremely shocking and regrettable. The condition of some of the injured is serious, and the government should take immediate action to provide them with appropriate treatment,” he said.
However, the state government is yet to confirm the number of deaths in the stampede.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar appealed for calm and said the exact number of casualties was still being ascertained.
The BJP seized on the incident to mount a scathing attack on the Congress government.
Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa held the administration directly responsible, alleging that it rushed into organising the rally without proper planning and prioritised publicity over safety.
“The state government must take full responsibility,” Vijayendra said. “More than 11 people have died, and several others are in critical condition, some in the ICU. This tragedy is a direct result of the government’s negligence.”
Vijayendra said he had spoken to one of the victims, who claimed there was no police presence or ambulance facility at the venue.
“The injured had to rush themselves to Bowring Hospital,” he said.
Calling it a “serious lapse,” Vijayendra demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah take moral responsibility and refer the matter for a judicial inquiry.
“Let the CM decide who must be held accountable—but it must go before a judicial forum,” he asserted.
The incident has sparked widespread public outrage and drawn scrutiny over the state’s preparedness for a high-profile public event, with the discrepancy in casualty figures adding to the anxiety.
UNI
