Credited from: NEWSWEEK
At least 11 people were killed in a stampede outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru, India, occurring as fans celebrated Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first Indian Premier League title win. Thousands gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the event, and initial reports indicated a chaotic situation with many attempting to enter without tickets, heightening the urgency for crowd control, according to Dawn and Channel News Asia.
The crowd reportedly became uncontrollable as many surged towards the stadium gates. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar described the assembly as "uncontrollable" and expressed sorrow for the tragedy, acknowledging that they underestimated attendance expectations. In a striking visual of the aftermath, police were seen helping injured individuals, with some crowded around those who had fainted, according to Newsweek and BBC.
Reports indicate that thousands had come to celebrate the victory parade, but the anticipated crowd size was underestimated, resulting in severe congestion. Eyewitness accounts noted individuals climbing trees and walls to catch a glimpse of the team arriving. Many had to turn away from metro stations as authorities shut down services in response to the large crowds, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Such tragedies are not uncommon in India during large gatherings; previous incidents have witnessed similar fatalities during religious events. For example, at the Maha Kumbh festival earlier this year, at least 30 people died during a stampede as crowds rushed to the sacred waters, highlighting ongoing challenges with crowd management during significant public events, according to Dawn and Dawn.