The streets that should have been filled with cheers and celebration turned into scenes of horror yesterday as 11 passionate RCB fans lost their lives in a stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium. What was meant to be the city’s happiest cricket moment after RCB’s first-ever IPL win became its darkest.
How a Celebration Turned Deadly
Eyewitnesses describe a scene of total chaos as thousands of fans, mostly young students and working professionals, descended on the stadium area. The tragedy unfolded because:
- Unimaginable Crowds: While the stadium holds 35,000, nearly 3 lakh people showed up – some as early as 10 AM for a 5 PM event
- Dangerous Bottlenecks: Fans got trapped in narrow lanes near Gate 12, where the worst of the stampede occurred
- Mixed Messages: First authorities said “no parade”, then RCB announced one – leaving fans confused and desperate
Rahul, 24, who survived with bruises, told us: “One moment we were chanting ‘RCB! RCB!’, the next people were screaming for help. I saw a girl my sister’s age get crushed against the barricades.”
The Human Cost
Among the victims:
- Three college students from Christ University
- A young IT professional who’d taken leave just for this
- Two teenage brothers who came without telling their parents
At nearby Victoria Hospital, distraught families waited for news. “My son just wanted to see Kohli once,” sobbed one father, his clothes still torn from the chaos.
What Went Wrong?
- Security Was Overwhelmed
- 500 police deployed, but needed 5,000
- Barricades collapsed under human pressure
- Free Pass Chaos
- Online passes “sold out” in minutes
- Scalpers charged ₹5,000 near the gates
- No Emergency Plan
- Ambulances couldn’t reach the worst spots
- First aid stations were swamped
A City in Mourning
Today, the stadium gates are piled with flowers and jerseys. At Coffee Day next door, fans sit silently – some still wearing their RCB caps, now damp with tears.
Virat Kohli tweeted: “This isn’t how victory should feel. Our hearts are broken.” The team has cancelled all celebrations.
What Needs to Change
- Stadium access systems – Digital queueing? More entry points?
- Clearer communication – One official channel for updates
- Crowd science experts – Needed for big events
As Bengaluru grieves, one question haunts everyone: How did seeing our heroes turn into a fight for survival?