Bengaluru Stampede

A joyous celebration turned tragic near Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, as a stampede-like situation broke out during festivities for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic IPL 2025 victory. At least 11 people lost their lives and 50 others were injured in the chaos.

The city had erupted in celebration after RCB clinched their first-ever IPL title on Tuesday, defeating the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and ending an 18-year wait. The mood quickly shifted to heartbreak when the crowd surged near the stadium, where RCB players were to be honored by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The tragic incident claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured, sparking nationwide outrage and a wave of grief across the country.

"Among the 11 lives tragically lost in the stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium were a schoolgirl, a teenager visiting Bengaluru to collect his transfer certificate, an engineering student, and a civil engineer."

RCB sealed a thrilling six-run victory over the Punjab Kings in the IPL final in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, capturing their long-awaited maiden title. The historic win also marked a major milestone for franchise icon Virat Kohli, who has remained loyal to RCB since the league’s debut in 2008.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed that an overwhelming crowd of 2 to 3 lakh people had gathered at the venue to celebrate RCB’s IPL victory—far more than officials had anticipated. In response to the tragedy, he ordered a formal investigation and announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences, calling the loss of lives “absolutely heartrending.”

Meanwhile, the BJP strongly criticized the Congress-led government, accusing it of “criminal negligence” and demanding the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and others over the failure in crowd management. The state government defended its actions, stating that the scale of the turnout was unexpected and overwhelmed preparations.

A day after a tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives as lakhs gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL win, grief turned to outrage on Thursday. Heartbroken family members of the victims slammed the government and civic authorities, blaming poor planning and mismanagement for the deadly lapse in crowd control.

1)Manoj Kumar: 

As the news of the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede flashed across the TV screen, Devaraj N T, a pani puri vendor in Bengaluru, felt a chill run down his spine. His 20-year-old son, Manoj Kumar, a BBA student at Presidency College, had gone out to join the RCB celebrations. Devaraj immediately called his son—but a stranger answered the phone. “I knew something was wrong,” he recalled, his voice heavy with grief.

Originally from Tumakuru, the family had made Bengaluru their home 22 years ago, living together in Yelahanka. Manoj, full of dreams and promise, had told his father he was only heading to Vidhana Soudha to join the festivities. “I had no idea he was near Chinnaswamy Stadium,” Devaraj said, still trying to process the shock.

Later, the police contacted him and asked him to come to Bowring Hospital. “I didn’t have the strength to look at my son’s lifeless body,” he said quietly.

When asked about the government's Rs 10 lakh compensation, Devaraj’s anguish poured out: “I’m willing to give Rs 50 lakh… even Rs 1 crore. But will that bring my son back?”

2)Poorna Chandra:-

Poorna Chandra, 26, a civil engineer from Mysuru and a passionate RCB supporter, had traveled to Bengaluru on Wednesday—not just to join the IPL celebrations, but also to take a meaningful step toward his future. Originally from K R Pet taluk in Mandya district, Poorna was in the city to meet a young woman his family hoped he would marry.

“I had asked him to visit her home,” said his father, R. B. Chandru. “He did… but after that, he went to the stadium. We had no idea. By 6 p.m., we got the devastating call that he was gone.”

His lifeless body was brought back to his native village on Thursday, where grieving loved ones gathered for his final rites—mourning not only his untimely death, but the dreams left unfulfilled.

3) Divyanshi B S-

Fourteen-year-old Divyanshi B S was full of life, passion, and big dreams. A die-hard cricket fan and an ardent admirer of Virat Kohli, she had only one wish—to see her idol up close. "That one wish cost her everything," said her heartbroken mother, Ashwini U L, on Thursday.

A Class 9 student from Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Divyanshi wasn’t just a cricket enthusiast—she was a talented dancer with aspirations of becoming a veterinarian. “She was incredibly mature for her age,” her mother shared. “In fact, she often inspired me with her wisdom on handling life’s challenges.”

Her love for the game ran deep. “She didn’t just follow Virat Kohli—she knew all about the legends, from Sachin Tendulkar to Kapil Dev and beyond,” Ashwini recalled.

Ashwini had accompanied her daughter to the RCB victory celebration at Chinnaswamy Stadium, never imagining the day would end in unimaginable tragedy.

4.Prajwal G: A Son Lost, A Mother’s Heart Broken

Prajwal G, 22, an engineering graduate working at a private firm, was full of energy and excitement after RCB's historic IPL win. A devoted fan, he celebrated with friends late into Tuesday night. But on Wednesday, he made a decision that would change his family’s life forever—choosing to attend the team’s victory event at Chinnaswamy Stadium, despite his mother’s heartfelt pleas to stay home.

“He went against my wishes,” his grieving mother, Pavithra, said on Thursday, her voice trembling with pain.

The only son of Pavithra and Ganesh, Prajwal lived with his family in Yelahanka New Town. At 5:30 p.m., Pavithra received a call that turned her world upside down. Rushing to the police station, she was taken to Vydehi Hospital.

“There were several unidentified bodies,” she recalled, tears flowing. “The doctors asked me to check. I prayed it wouldn’t be my son. But when I saw him… my life shattered. He was lying there like he was just asleep at home.”

In her anguish, Pavithra cried out, “The government has killed my son.”

5.Bhoomik Lakshman:

Nineteen-year-old Bhoomik Lakshman, a vibrant young man from M S Ramaiah Layout, was filled with excitement as he joined friends at Chinnaswamy Stadium to witness RCB's grand celebration. He didn’t tell his father, Lakshman D H, about his plans—but around 3 p.m., he made a cheerful video call to his mother, proudly showing her the festive crowd.

That was the last time his family saw him alive.

Soon after, news broke of a stampede. Panic set in. “I tried calling him again and again, but there was no answer,” his father said, struggling to hold back tears.

Heartbroken and angry, Lakshman believes his son’s life could have been saved. “If there had been proper medical support, Bhoomik might still be with us. He died because of the negligence of civic authorities and the government,” he said, mourning a young life lost to preventable tragedy.

6)Chinmayi Shetty: A Joyful Outing That Ended in Heartbreak

Nineteen-year-old Chinmayi Shetty wasn’t a die-hard cricket fan—but when her classmates planned to join the RCB victory celebrations at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, she decided to go along for the experience. A bright engineering student and a passionate Yakshagana performer, Chinmayi lived in Doddakallasandra and originally hailed from Mangaluru.

“She called me around 1:30 p.m. and said she was heading to the stadium,” her father, Karunakara Shetty, recalled. “She wasn’t crazy about cricket—she just wanted to be with her friends.”

Tragically, just a few hours later, at 5:30 p.m., he received the devastating call that shattered his world: Chinmayi was gone.

Fighting back tears, he said, “I’ve lost my daughter. What use is compensation to me? I want my daughter back.”

7)Shivalingu Chandappa :-A Simple Visit That Turned Tragic

Seventeen-year-old Shivalingu had traveled from Yadgir to Bengaluru on a routine errand—to collect his transfer certificate. Once his work was done, curiosity led him to Chinnaswamy Stadium, where crowds had gathered to celebrate RCB's IPL victory.

Back home, his father Honnappa, a daily-wage laborer from Honigeri village, was watching the news unfold on TV. “I remember blaming the crowd, wondering why so many people felt the need to gather at the stadium and Vidhana Soudha,” he said quietly. “I had no idea my own son was there.”

By evening, the unimaginable happened. “We got the call—Shivalingu was gone.”

A day that should have marked a new chapter in the teenager’s life ended in a heartbreaking tragedy.