Bengaluru stampede: All victims under 40; 13-year-old girl youngest among deceased
Bengaluru stampede: What was meant to be a historic and joyous celebration turned into a horrific tragedy on Tuesday night as a stampede at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives and left 47 others injured. The victims, all under the age of 40, included a 13-year-old girl who was the youngest among the deceased.
The crowd had gathered in overwhelming numbers to celebrate Royal Challengers Bangalore's long-awaited IPL victory — their first title in 18 years. Friends, families, and cricket fans from across Bengaluru and surrounding districts came together to cheer their team, but chaos ensued as the stadium’s limited security could not handle the massive turnout.
The deceased have been identified as Divyanshi (13), Shivalinga (17), Chinmayi (19), Shravan (20), Prajwal (20), Bhoomik (20), Sahana (25), Akshata (27), Devi (29), Doresha (32), and Manoj (33). Most of them had arrived with friends, unaware of the disaster that would unfold.
The authorities and eyewitnesses cited several causes behind the tragic stampede: poor planning, inadequate crowd control, and last-minute security adjustments. A significant portion of the police force had been diverted to the Vidhana Soudha, where top state leaders, including Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, were hosting an official felicitation ceremony for the RCB team. This diversion of resources left the stadium vulnerable to crowd pressure.
Emergency services were called in swiftly, but by then, the damage had been done. Several of the injured remain in critical condition at nearby hospitals.
The incident has sparked public outrage and calls for accountability. Critics have questioned the wisdom of organising parallel celebrations at two major venues, particularly during a high-profile event expected to draw lakhs of fans.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered by the Karnataka government to probe the lapses in planning and execution.
- With inputs from agencies
