A stampede erupted on Wednesday in the Indian city of Bengaluru as a densely packed crowd was celebrating the victory of their home cricket team, leading to multiple fatalities, a senior government official confirmed. Indian media outlets reported that as many as 11 individuals had been crushed to death, though Karnataka state’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated he could not immediately verify the precise number of casualties.
“The tragedy and death have caused profound pain and shock,” Shivakumar expressed in a statement. “My condolences to the deceased. My condolences to their families.” An AFP photographer witnessed immense crowds, describing a sea of people that had packed the streets, with police waving sticks to manage them. Shivakumar estimated that “hundreds of thousands of people” had converged onto the streets.
He told reporters, “I have spoken to the police commissioner and everyone; I will also visit the hospital later — I do not wish to disrupt the doctors who are attending to the patients.” He added, “The exact number cannot be disclosed at this moment. We appeal to the public to remain calm.” Broadcasters showed police swiftly moving away from the crowds, carrying young children who appeared to have fainted in their arms. One unattended young man was observed in an ambulance, visibly struggling to breathe.
India’s NDTV broadcaster reported at least 11 fatalities, while The Times of India newspaper cited seven deaths. “This is not a controllable crowd,” Shivakumar commented to reporters. “The police were finding it extremely difficult.” He continued, “I apologize to the people of Karnataka and Bengaluru. We had planned a procession, but the crowd became highly unmanageable… the sheer volume of people was overwhelming.”
Extending heartfelt condolences, cricket enthusiasts had gathered to celebrate and welcome their heroes, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after their victory over Punjab Kings in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket final on Tuesday night. Organizers proceeded with the ceremony, and the team’s social media account posted a video depicting cheering crowds as the bus, carrying players including batting legend Virat Kohli, waved back. “This welcome is what pure love looks like,” the club’s social media account posted on X.
However, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, in an interview with NDTV, stated that organizers inside the stadium were not informed about the stampede. “At the time of the celebrations inside the stadium, officials there were unaware of what had transpired… I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences,” Dhumal said. Shivakumar mentioned that cricket organizers had “shortened the programme.”
“This is a very sad incident,” Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the national governing body, told India Today news outlet. “No one had anticipated such an enormous crowd would turn up.” Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian mass events, such as religious festivals, often attributed to inadequate crowd management and lapses in safety protocols. In July of last year, 121 people lost their lives in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.
