A moment of celebration turned tragic in Bengaluru on Wednesday as a massive crowd gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes — the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) — following the team’s historic maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) victory. In a devastating turn, a stampede broke out amid the swelling crowd, leading to the death of at least 10 people and leaving several others injured.
(Also read: Frenzied fans climb trees, Chinnaswamy Stadium walls to see RCB stars amid stampede. Video)
Chaos outside stadium
Visuals shared by news agency ANI captured scenes of chaos, as enthusiastic fans were seen climbing over walls and fences of the Chinnaswamy Stadium in a desperate attempt to enter the premises.
Watch the clip here:
The stadium was hosting a felicitation ceremony for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who recently clinched their first-ever IPL title after 18 seasons, defeating Punjab Kings in a nail-biting final held in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
Deputy CM expresses grief
{{/usCountry}}The stadium was hosting a felicitation ceremony for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who recently clinched their first-ever IPL title after 18 seasons, defeating Punjab Kings in a nail-biting final held in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
Deputy CM expresses grief
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to the tragedy, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar expressed his deep sorrow over the incident. “What was meant to be a celebration of RCB's IPL victory has turned into a tragedy, bringing deep sorrow and shock. My condolences to those who lost their lives. I offer my heartfelt sympathies to their families. Let there be love for the team, but nothing is more valuable than life. I request everyone to please stay safe," he said.
(Also read: RCB victory parade or no parade? Fans confused as RCB, Bengaluru Police share conflicting tweets)
Earlier, the Karnataka government honoured the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team for securing their maiden IPL title, bringing an end to an 18-year-long wait for the coveted trophy. Karnataka Governor Taawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar felicitated the Rajat Patidar-led team on the grand steps in front of the iconic Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat here.