A tragic incident unfolded in Bengaluru on Wednesday, June 4, when a stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations resulted in the deaths of 11 people and left 33 others injured. The incident has sparked widespread grief, apologies, and political accusations.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar issued an apology for the stampede, acknowledging the unexpectedly massive crowd. "This should not have happened and we never expected such a big crowd...The stadium's capacity is 35,000, but more than 3 lakh people were there...Gates (of the stadium) have been broken...We apologise for this incident," Shivakumar stated. He also accused the BJP of politicizing the tragedy and announced the postponement of all government events scheduled for Thursday, except for a cabinet meeting. Shivakumar complimented the police for their efforts in managing the crowd, noting they had advised against a procession from the airport.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of each deceased individual and assured free medical treatment for all injured persons. He expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating, "A major tragedy occurred during the victory celebrations...This tragedy should not have happened." Siddaramaiah has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the stampede, with a 15-day deadline for the report, emphasizing that his government would not engage in politics over the incident.

The human cost of the tragedy was highlighted by the story of Bhoomik, a college student who died in the stampede. He had gone to the stadium with friends but was separated in the rush. His mother expressed belief that on-site medical facilities might have saved him, while his grieving father questioned why this happened to his son. The arrival of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Vydehi Superspeciality Hospital reportedly delayed the documentation process for releasing Bhoomik's body, adding to the family's distress.

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy sharply criticized Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, holding him responsible for the stampede due to alleged "impatience, immaturity, and irresponsibility." Kumaraswamy demanded Shivakumar's immediate removal from the cabinet and described the Congress government in Karnataka as being run by "arrogant fools" with an "inactive" Chief Minister. He condemned Shivakumar for proceeding with a felicitation ceremony while people lay dead and for organizing the event hastily for self-glorification, even lifting and kissing the trophy at the stadium.

Reports indicate that the RCB victory parade was announced with little notice, leading to a lack of coordination and crowd control. Chaos reportedly began before fans reached the venue, with no clear details provided about the parade's timing, route, or entry rules. Fans started gathering from 11 AM, metro services were suspended due to crowd pressure, and the stampede occurred near Gate No. 7 around 4:51 PM. An eyewitness account shared on Reddit by user @wildflowerxoxoxo described the police as unprepared and overwhelmed, calling it the "worst experience and bad management." The user detailed seeing people collapse, hooligans causing trouble, and individuals without tickets pushing and climbing walls. She also mentioned experiencing breathing difficulties and a friend sustaining a head injury. Some online speculation suggested that Bengaluru police initially denied permission for celebrations, but RCB allegedly pressured them to allow it. However, another netizen mentioned a ticketing system was in place but the crowd rushed when a gate opened.

In the aftermath, the state government has initiated a magisterial investigation. The focus remains on accountability and preventing such tragedies in the future, alongside mourning the lives lost.