On Wednesday, June 4, at least 11 people were killed and 47 injured in a stampede in a crowd of fans outside a cricket stadium in the Indian city of Bengaluru during the celebration of RCB’s (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) first ever Indian Premier League title win.
Reuters reported that thousands of people, some waving RCB’s red flag, lined the streets to welcome the team as they arrived at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Social media also showed some people climbing trees and standing on the stadium walls to get a better view.
Police said that as the team’s celebration progressed, some people outside tried to force their way in by pushing the gate without passes, leading to further trouble between the main field perimeter and the arena, according to Reuters.
According to Karnataka state chief minister Siddaramaiah, the attendance of spectators during the celebrations was higher than expected, and 11 people were killed and 47 injured in the incident.
Reuters reported that during the victory celebrations, Mithun Singh, a software engineer in the crowd, said police started whipping people at a gate, leading to further chaos.
After the accident, Karnataka Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed told NDTV that the crowd got out of control during the victory celebrations and the authorities were unable to take proper action.
Following the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed told NDTV that the crowd got out of control during the victory celebrations and the authorities were unable to take proper action.
RCB has offered free passes for the title celebration event through their website but warned that numbers will be limited.
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The previous Indian crowd disaster occurred on January 29, 2025, when at least 30 people died and more than 60 were injured in a stampede as millions of people gathered to take a dip in holy waters during the Hindu festival of Maha Kumbh Mela held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Bengaluru was celebrating its first win after defeating Punjab Kings in the final match of the T20 tournament held on June 3, 2025, in the 18th edition of the world’s richest cricket league, IPL. The important thing is that the team won its first title after a long wait of 18 years.
Reuters’s reporting contributed to this article.
