A joyous celebration of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) first-ever IPL championship turned into a tragedy when a stampede erupted at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in at least 11 deaths and 25 injuries.
According to reports from Indian media, thousands of ecstatic fans gathered at the stadium to commemorate the historic victory. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as hundreds attempted to enter through multiple gates simultaneously, sparking the deadly stampede.
Read more: RCB Finally End IPL Title Drought with Thrilling Win Over Punjab
Despite a significant police presence, the massive crowd became uncontrollable. Some fans resorted to climbing trees to catch a glimpse of the celebrations, while emergency services faced difficulties reaching Bowring Hospital due to heavy traffic.
Initially, 7 fatalities and 4 critically injured individuals were reported, but the injured later passed away from their wounds. In the wake of the tragedy, the Karnataka government called off the planned victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium, citing security concerns.
