Chaos Unfolds Outside Chinnaswamy Stadium During RCB Victory Parade in Bengaluru
Unsettling scenes were witnessed outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru as thousands of fans gathered for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Victory Parade, leading to overcrowding and chaos.
The crowd, which had gathered in lakhs to celebrate RCB’s historic IPL 2025 season, surged uncontrollably near the stadium gates. Eye-witnesses reported moments of panic, with people pushing and jostling in the heat, leading to a dangerous stampede-like situation.
Several injuries were reported, and tragically, at least 11 people lost their lives, according to official sources. The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar, expressed deep sorrow and said,
“We couldn’t control the fans. My apologies to the families of the deceased.”
He further stated that due to the overwhelming turnout, the felicitation ceremony was wrapped up within 10 minutes to prevent further risk.
Disturbing visuals showed broken batons scattered on the ground, with fans attempting to shield each other from the pushing crowd. Many criticized the lack of crowd control measures and questioned the authorities’ preparedness for such a large-scale public event.
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla responded to the tragedy, saying,
“This kind of unfortunate incident can happen in any state. We should focus on helping the victims’ families now.”
Meanwhile, security has been tightened around central Bengaluru, and an investigation is underway to understand what went wrong in the planning and execution of the event.
The RCB franchise, while celebrating its long-awaited IPL title win, also issued a statement mourning the loss of lives and promising assistance to the affected families.
