On June 4, a stampede that was terribly predictable but entirely avoidable erupted outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Eleven fans died in the disaster, with over fifty injuries incurred. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricket team winning their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title against the Punjab Kings celebrated with a huge procession. In the midst of this joyful jubilation, the tragic accident happened. Hundreds of thousands of fans turned out to get a glimpse of their beloved Indian team and cricket superstar Virat Kohli. Bedlam ensued as 26 months of pent-up demand for a trophy parade flooded down the crowded streets.
The victims were between 14 and 29 years old. They were among the lucky, happy enough to be part of the awesome crowd on hand to celebrate. Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of utter chaos, with concertgoers caught in a sandwich of death, unable to escape the packed herd. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his condolences known, referring to the attack as “absolutely heartrending.” In addition to affecting a whole region, the tragedy struck RCB captain Virat Kohli to his core. More than anything else, it vividly illustrated just how profoundly the event hit home for both the team and its supporters.
Karnataka state authorities have held RCB, its partners and the Karnataka State Cricket Association liable. They accuse them of absentee mismanagement that allowed conditions favoring the stampede to set in. To accompany their findings, authorities released this short report explaining our findings. Asserting that poor planning and lack of proper crowd control procedures led to the disaster, they urged. In the immediate aftermath, police arrested four people, including a top official from RCB and members of event organizers DNA.
The stampede erupted as players paraded the IPL trophy near the stadium, highlighting the intensity of fan enthusiasm and the challenges of managing large-scale public events. Even India coach Gautam Gambhir condemned the idea of mass celebrations without enough planning. He confessed he isn’t in favor of roadshows in the first place in these type of situations and further contended that local officials should’ve expected the risks.
RCB’s historic win was marred by tragic circumstances, which shocked the crowd. These tragedies serve as tragic reminders that better crowd management is desperately needed at large-scale public events. Even as these investigations go forward, the focus must be on making sure something like this never happens again.
