A triumphant homecoming for Indian Premier League champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended in tragedy on Wednesday, as a stampede during a victory celebration in the southern city left 11 people dead and at least 47 others injured.
The deadly crush occurred as tens of thousands of cricket fans packed the streets of Bengaluru to welcome their team, a day after RCB’s thrilling win over Punjab Kings in the IPL final.
What was meant to be a jubilant moment quickly turned chaotic, overwhelming security measures and emergency responders.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said most of the victims were young. “No one expected such a huge crowd,” he told reporters. “The stadium has a capacity of only 35,000 people, but 200,000–300,000 people came.”
Authorities cancelled a planned street parade amid concerns about crowd control, but the precaution came too late. “The pain of this tragedy has even erased the joy of victory,” Siddaramaiah said, adding that an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A woman who was injured in the stampede recounted being caught near the entrance as the crowd surged. Overwhelmed by the crush, she lost consciousness and had to be taken to the hospital in a wheelchair, struggling to breathe amid the chaos.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “absolutely heartrending,” joining a chorus of national and international figures expressing condolences.
Visuals from the scene showed discarded shoes strewn across the street and panicked parents clutching unconscious children. Police officers were seen waving sticks to disperse the surging masses.
An AFP photographer reported that crowds had filled the area beyond capacity, making movement nearly impossible.
Broadcasters aired footage of police carrying children through the crowd to safety. One young man was seen sitting in an ambulance, struggling to breathe.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said authorities were overwhelmed by the turnout. “Hundreds of thousands of people had flocked onto the streets and police had been finding it very difficult,” he said.
RCB, who secured their first IPL title in 18 seasons, issued a brief statement in response. “The safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to us,” the team said, adding it was “deeply anguished” by the loss of lives.
Despite the tragedy, celebrations continued inside the stadium. RCB’s official social media account posted a video of players — including cricket icon Virat Kohli — waving to cheering crowds from an open-top bus. “This welcome is what pure love looks like,” read a caption on the now-deleted post.
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal, speaking to NDTV, said organisers inside the stadium were unaware of the incident as it unfolded. “At the time of the celebrations inside the stadium, officials there did not know what had happened… I would like to send my heartfelt condolences,” he said.
Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar called the deaths “beyond tragic” and expressed sympathy for the victims. “My heart goes out to every affected family. Wishing peace and strength to all,” he wrote online.
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who attended the final with his wife, also extended his condolences. “We celebrated with you yesterday and we mourn with you today,” he said in a message on X.
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the incident was “profoundly distressing,” adding, “The joy of victory should never come at the cost of lives.”
The IPL final, played in front of a capacity crowd of 91,000 in Ahmedabad and millions more watching on television, marked a historic win for RCB, who had lost three previous finals. Their victory sparked wild celebrations in Bengaluru, which continued into the early hours.
But India’s long history of deadly crowd incidents loomed over the event. Just months earlier, a stampede at the Kumbh Mela religious gathering killed 30 people. Last year, 121 people died in Uttar Pradesh during a Hindu religious event. In many cases, critics have pointed to poor planning and a lack of crowd management.
“This tragedy should not have happened,” Siddaramaiah said. “We are with the victims.”
