A jubilant atmosphere turned into a deadly tragedy at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday when a stampede triggered by rumours of free Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) tickets claimed the lives of 11 people. The incident occurred at Gate No. 7, where hundreds of fans had gathered to celebrate RCB’s historic IPL win.
Gate 7, known for its sweeping view of those entering the stadium, became the epicentre of panic after word spread that complimentary tickets were being distributed there. In a matter of minutes, fans surged toward the entrance in a frenzy. The crush caused people to fall over one another in a desperate scramble. “People completely lost control. It was a disaster,” said Achimanya, a resident of Rajajinagar. “I was lucky to get out in time. Even police were struggling to manage the crowd,” added Avinash S (31) from RR Nagar.
Poor Crowd Management, Weather Worsen Situation
The chaos intensified with sudden rain around 5:30 PM, making it difficult for people to move or seek safety. Gates 5, 6, 7, 19, and 20—located along the team’s main entry route, saw the highest concentration of people, while gates 9 and 10 were restricted to cricket association members.
Witnesses blamed poor crowd control and a delayed decision on the victory parade for worsening the tragedy. “I could avoid the worst only because I reached late. Cops were not controlling the crowd in the real sense, and were just pushing people around,” said Sinchana N (25), who got caught in the melee.
Ambulances struggled to reach the injured as roads were blocked by massive crowds. Around 6:30 PM, police resorted to lathicharge near Cubbon Park Circle in an attempt to disperse the crowd and restore order.
