A tragic incident overshadowed the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) maiden IPL title win at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. A stampede at Gate No. 7 resulted in the death of 11 people and left over 30 injured, raising serious questions about crowd control and security arrangements.

Rumour Sparks Chaos at Gate No. 7

According to eyewitnesses, the tragedy unfolded when a rumour spread that free tickets for the victory celebration were being distributed at Gate No. 7, one of the main entrances of the stadium. Within minutes, a massive crowd surged towards the gate, turning excitement into panic and resulting in a deadly stampede.

Locals and attendees reported scenes of absolute mayhem as fans, in their desperation, began climbing over each other to grab the alleged free passes. The lack of clear communication from authorities only made the situation worse.

Sudden Rain Worsens Situation

As per a report by The Times of India, Achimanya, a witness from Rajajinagar, said:

“People completely lost control. It felt like a disaster.”

The situation deteriorated further around 5:30 PM, when a sudden spell of rain caused panic among the already dense crowd, contributing to the stampede.

The stadium has 13 gates for public entry and 21 stands. However, gates 5, 6, 7, 19, and 20—designated for the team’s parade—saw the highest footfall. Gate No. 7, where most casualties occurred, became the flashpoint.

Police Lathicharge Adds to the Chaos

Victims and witnesses accused the police of poor crowd control.
Avinash S., a resident of RR Nagar, said:

“I saw an ambulance carrying 40 injured people. I was lucky to get out. Even the police couldn’t control the crowd.”

Another attendee, Sinchan N., added:

“Police weren’t managing the crowd, they were just pushing people. Later, they started lathicharge near Cubbon Park Circle around 6:30 PM to disperse people.”

Government Responds, Judicial Inquiry Ordered

Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar admitted that the crowd broke through the gates and said,

“A large-scale stampede occurred. I’ve spoken to the Police Commissioner. We’re monitoring the situation closely and appeal for calm.”

He also confirmed visits to hospitals where the injured are being treated.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said,

“Over 2 to 3 lakh people had gathered—far more than the stadium's capacity of 35,000. No one anticipated this scale.”

He announced a judicial inquiry into the incident and declared ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of those who lost their lives.

Key Takeaways:

• Stampede occurred at Gate No. 7 of Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB victory celebrations.

• Rumour about free ticket distribution triggered the chaos.

• 11 people confirmed dead, over 33 injured.

• State government orders judicial probe and compensation.

• Eyewitnesses blame poor planning and crowd management.