At least 11 people have died and dozens injured in a stampede outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru, where thousands of fans gathered to celebrate their home team’s Indian Premier League win. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat the Punjab Kings in the IPL final the day before.
According to Karnataka state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, authorities were caught off guard by the massive turnout, with over 200,000 people attending the victory parade despite only expecting half that number. The crush occurred when fans tried to push through a small gate at the stadium, which was not yet open.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other officials expressed their condolences to the victims’ families, calling the incident “heartrending”. The team, led by cricket legend Virat Kohli, had arrived earlier in a special flight and was scheduled to make a procession to the hotel before the crush occurred.
The tragedy highlights the risks faced by fans attending large public events. With thousands of people flocking to the stadium, authorities struggled to manage the crowd, with metro trains and taxis overwhelmed by the demand. The incident is being investigated, and officials are working to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdr5mrrj1ego