Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB )’s first IPL title victory at Bangalore’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday turned into a major accident. At least 11 people were killed and 33 others were seriously injured in a stampede due to a huge crowd outside the stadium.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the stadium has a capacity of around 35,000, but more than the estimate, about 2 to 3 lakh people had gathered to join the celebrations. He said, “We did not expect such a huge crowd. About one lakh people had gathered in front of Vidhan Saudha, but no accident happened there. The Chinnaswamy Stadium did not have a crowd under control and the unfortunate incident took place.”
The Chief Minister has announced an ex -gratia amount of ₹ 10 lakh to the families of the deceased and ordered a magisterial inquiry to investigate the incident. He said, “I do not want to politicize the incident. We have given 15 days time to investigate.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences on the incident, saying, “The incident in Bengaluru is extremely heartbreaking. In this sad hour, my sensations are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured should be healthy soon.”
During the accident, the police had difficulty in controlling the mob, and lathi -charged at some places, which worsened the situation. The injured were immediately admitted to hospitals.
This phenomenon once again underlines the need for mob management and safety measures at large public events. The government has assured that necessary steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.
