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What triggered Bengaluru stampede tragedy? Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reveals
The Congress leader said the turnout was far beyond what the government had anticipated.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday blamed overcrowding for the Bengaluru stampede, saying nearly two to three lakh people had congregated outside Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate the victory of the city's home team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the Indian Premier League. He said 11 people died in the stampede and 33 sustained serious injuries.
"This was a major tragedy. People have died in a stampede. 11 lives have been lost, and 33 others are seriously injured. Around 14 people have received treatment at the outpatient facility. I visited the hospital. Such an incident should never have happened, and the government deeply regrets it," he said at a press conference.
The Congress leader said the turnout was far beyond what the government had anticipated.
"The turnout was far beyond what we anticipated. In front of Vidhana Soudha, nearly one lakh people had gathered, but there were no incidents there. However, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, there were casualties. No one, neither the Cricket Association nor the government, expected this, as the stadium has a seating capacity of about 35,000. We assumed only a slightly larger crowd would show up. But almost two to three lakh people gathered," he added.
The Karnataka chief minister said most of the deceased were young and that his government will provide a compensation of ₹10 lakh to their families.
He has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
"I do not want to play politics in this case. I don’t want to play politics. That is why, even though there was an unexpected crowd, we have ordered a magisterial probe. I don’t want to defend the incident. I don’t want to play politics. Let us see the magisterial report. I will give 15 days for this report," he added.
Also read: ‘I saw three girls fall’: Eyewitnesses recall Bengaluru stampede horror
PM Modi condoles the deaths
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the stampede in Bengaluru as "absolutely heartrending".
"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," he wrote on X.
Visuals that emerged from the stampede site showed police rushing the injured in ambulances to nearby hospitals.
Earlier, the police had a tough time managing the crowd as cricket enthusiasts tried to gain entry into the stadium to greet the winning team
With inputs from PTI
