The victory of RCB was being celebrated at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium. Fans were dancing with joy when suddenly a stampede broke out, resulting in the deaths of 11 people. More than 30 people were injured, several of them critically, as reported by Indian media on Wednesday.
According to details, the stampede created a tragic scene outside the stadium, where people were seen screaming, searching, and calling out for their loved ones. However, the celebrations continued inside the stadium. While thousands of people were mourning outside, the sounds of celebration could still be heard from within.
The Indian media stated, citing eyewitnesses, that at around 4:40 PM a huge crowd had gathered inside the stadium. Many fans were standing outside, all trying to get in. Everyone wanted a glimpse of the players. During this time, slogans began to be chanted. Some people tried to jump over and enter. Meanwhile, the police were trying to remove some people from inside.
Then a scuffle broke out, which led to the stampede. Afterwards, a scene of mourning unfolded outside the stadium. People were seen screaming and searching for their loved ones. Some were showing photos to ask about their relatives, while others were calling out their names.
There was chaos and cries outside the stadium, but the celebrations inside continued. It seemed as if nothing had happened. No police officers were seen evacuating people or acting swiftly. The program was neither stopped nor was any announcement made.
This was due to the police’s crowd control management. The police knew that if the people inside learned about the stampede, there could be chaos inside as well. People might have tried to flee. On the other hand, millions were already gathered outside. If the inner crowd had come out, the disorder could have intensified. The tragedy could have been even greater.