Bengaluru Stampede Kills 11 During RCB's IPL Celebrations: Here's What Went Wrong

Last Updated:June 04, 2025, 21:20 IST

Sources told News18 that several factors led to the chaos near Chinnaswamy Stadium

A section of the crowd outside Chinnaswamy Stadium. Pic/PTI

There is a pall of gloom over Bengaluru. The dark clouds hovering over the city reflect the tragedy that unfolded outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where 11 people lost their lives in a stampede as thousands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans crowded the area to catch a glimpse of the team after their first-ever IPL title win. Twenty-seven others are currently undergoing treatment for grievous injuries.

So, what went wrong? According to sources, several factors contributed to the chaos. The first was the massive crowd that gathered near the Chinnaswamy Stadium and the surrounding areas, far more than the police had anticipated. While the initial estimate was around 2.5 lakh people, the actual number of people who started pouring into the area for the victory celebrations, including around Vidhana Soudha, where the team was to be felicitated by the state government, nearly tripled.

‘Pure frenzy’

A senior police officer told News18 that the cause of the incident was “pure frenzy".

“People did not heed our advisories or the repeated public announcements asking them to disperse. They were determined to reach the venue no matter what," the official said on condition of anonymity.

“People were rushing in droves towards the stadium, and many were pushing towards the gates. The entry gates are small. Only those with passes or tickets were allowed inside, but many had gathered simply to be part of the celebrations, without tickets," said Sandeep Prathamesh, a witness to the lathicharge that followed as the crowd went out of control.

The crowd began swelling by afternoon, after announcements were made that the team was going to be felicitated inside the stadium. But the police estimate was way off, and there was a need to control the crowds. “Even if they had lathicharged those who didn’t have passes earlier, a major disaster could have been averted," said a former senior cop to News18.

“There were not enough policemen compared to the thousands of people standing there. It was utter chaos," said another fan who had travelled to the stadium with a ticket but was unable to enter.

Another RCB fan who was at the location near the stadium, Pratibha, said that as the chants for the team grew louder, people became more desperate to enter the stadium. “There was so much pushing. We somehow pulled out and rushed towards the closest lane near HAL. People were falling like a pack of cards due to the pushing," she observed.

Anticipation of victory ride

The second major factor under investigation is the planned victory procession between Vidhana Soudha and Chinnaswamy Stadium, with players aboard a bus carrying the trophy.

The Bengaluru police had reportedly advised the government against holding the procession, fearing traffic jams and overcrowding.

“But what they didn’t anticipate was that people would gather in such large numbers, break through barricades, and try to enter the stadium area," the source added.

“There was initially a plan to hold a procession, which we advised against. Later, after the official programme, when the team headed towards the stadium, there was complete chaos. The police could not control the crowd. It all happened in less than 15 minutes, and the stampede broke out," said another official source.

Although the victory ride was later announced as cancelled by the Karnataka home minister, the message did not reach fans, who were still expecting to see their team and flooded the streets.

Metro mayhem

Another major aspect that was overlooked was the accessibility of the Chinnaswamy Stadium via the metro. People crowded into metro coaches and poured into the location—a scenario that was expected to an extent, but the administration was unable to manage the growing crowd.

It was only after the stampede that the BMRCL decided to shut down three major metro stations—Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park (which directly connects to Chinnaswamy), and MG Road—to prevent another tragedy.

Access to the stadium was available by road as well as via metro services. There are three major metro stations that serve Chinnaswamy Stadium, and many people used them to travel to the venue. According to officials, the number of passengers exceeded expectations, and crowds continued to swell.

“The coaches were running so packed that people were stuffed beyond capacity," said an observer who could not catch the metro to travel home from the Cubbon Park station, close to the stadium.

A senior BMRCL official said, “We have temporarily stopped services and are skipping these three stations to ensure that passengers can travel home safely and prevent further overcrowding that could lead to additional issues."

Rohini Swamy

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t...Read More

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t...

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