Tragedy Strikes Celebration as Crowd Crushes During Cricket Victory Event in Bengaluru

Mon Oct 20 2025 06:49:06 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

At least 10 dead and many injured in a crowd surge at a hastily organized gathering for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first IPL title.

A crowd celebration turned deadly outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and numerous injuries, as fans overzealously attempted to join the festivities.

At least 10 lives were lost and several others injured in a disastrous crowd crush on Wednesday shortly after thousands gathered outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to honor the victorious Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket team, who secured their inaugural title in the Indian Premier League. The incident occurred as fans were attempting to access the stadium and join the celebration festivities that followed an unexpected cancellation of a planned victory parade due to safety concerns.

Manoj Kumar, the director of Bowring Hospital, reported that six bodies and 19 injured individuals were brought to their facility, while a second hospital, Vydehi, received four deceased and an additional 12 injured fans. Authorities are bracing for possible increases in the casualty count.

Witnesses described chaos as crowd control measures fell short. "It was a lot of pushing near the gates, and it was really difficult for the police and stadium staff to control the crowd,” shared Siddharth H.N., a graduate student at the event.

Political opposition leaders from the Karnataka region criticized the decisions surrounding the planned celebrations. B.Y. Vijayendra, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka, asserted government negligence in organizing necessary preparations, indicating that publicity took precedence over safety measures.

In response to the tragic event, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah mentioned that the parade’s cancellation became unavoidable as the gathering swelled uncontrollably. "This tragedy has overshadowed the joy of the victory," he expressed on social media. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar indicated that around 5,000 police officers were assigned to manage the anticipated parade, but faced challenges as the crowd became increasingly unruly.

The Indian Premier League, recognized as one of the world’s wealthiest sports leagues, highlighted the immense popularity of the Bengaluru team, a fan base largely bolstered by its superstar player, Virat Kohli. The victorious match saw the team defeat Punjab's franchise before an audience exceeding 90,000 in Ahmedabad the night prior.