Stampede in India kills 11 during premier league victory celebrations

A tragic stampede occurred near Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 during celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic IPL 2025 victory, resulting in at least 11 deaths and 33 injuries.

The incident marred the jubilant atmosphere following RCB’s maiden IPL title win, ending an 18-year wait for the franchise and its passionate supporters, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

RCB secured a thrilling six-run victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL final held in Ahmedabad on June 3. The win marked a significant milestone for the team and its star player Virat Kohli, who has been with the franchise since the league’s inception in 2008.

Following the victory, thousands of fans gathered near Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was scheduled to felicitate the RCB players during the victory event. However, the celebrations turned tragic as a stampede broke out amidst the massive crowd.

Speaking about the incident, Siddaramaiah said, “At least 2-3 lakh people had arrived at the venue to see the victory event, and authorities did not expect such a huge crowd.” He has ordered an immediate probe into the tragedy to determine the causes and accountability.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the loss of lives, calling it “absolute heartrending.”

The BJP swiftly blamed the Congress-led state government for “criminal negligence” in managing the crowd and demanded the resignation of Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and others responsible for security arrangements.

In response, the government defended its handling of the event, stating that the scale of the crowd was unforeseen and that efforts were made to maintain order.

As the city mourns the lives lost, the tragedy has cast a shadow over what should have been a moment of unbridled joy for Bengaluru and cricket fans nationwide. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stampede to prevent such incidents in the future.

By Vafa Guliyeva