'Free Ticket', Overcrowding, 'Raw Emotions of People': Latest On Bengaluru Stampede - Top 10 Updates

Bengaluru: What began as a moment of celebration turned into unimaginable tragedy on Wednesday evening when a massive crowd gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate RCB’s historic IPL victory in Bengaluru. In the chaos that unfolded, 11 people were announced dead and over 40 were injured in a deadly stampede.

The incident has shocked the nation and triggered widespread outrage over lapses in planning and crowd control. Here's a look at the top developments surrounding the incident and the ongoing probe:

The Karnataka government has appointed senior IAS officer G. Jagadeesha, Bengaluru Urban DC and District Magistrate, to lead a magisterial enquiry into the incident. He has been directed to submit a detailed report within 15 days, investigating the sequence of events, possible lapses, and those responsible.

Stampede Triggered by Free Ticket Rumour

The chaos began when rumours spread that free tickets would be distributed at Gate No. 7 of Chinnaswamy Stadium. The gate soon became the epicentre of panic as thousands rushed in, desperate to get in, causing people to fall over each other in a deadly crush. "People completely lost control. It was a disaster," said Achimanya, a local resident from Rajajinagar.

Over 2 Lakh Turned Up for a Stadium Meant for 35,000

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that the crowd was far beyond expectations. “No one had expected so much of a crowd to come. Prima facie looks like that... The inquiry will bring out facts,” he said. Many of the deceased were young fans, students and working professionals who had come to witness a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

Confusion Over Victory Parade Added Fuel to Fire

At 11:56 am on Wednesday, Bengaluru Traffic Police announced that there would be no victory parade. However, at 3:14 pm, the RCB management posted on social media that a parade would begin at 5 pm, followed by celebrations at the stadium, leaving fans utterly confused. This contradictory messaging played a major role in the uncontrollable crowd surge.

Poor Crowd Management Under Scrutiny

Eyewitnesses described scenes of complete chaos, with people scaling gates, pushing past barriers, and clashing with police. "Cops were not controlling the crowd in the real sense, and were just pushing people around," said 25-year-old Sinchana N, who narrowly escaped the stampede.

Despite efforts to maintain order since Tuesday night, Bengaluru Police were overwhelmed. A mild lathi-charge was used near Cubbon Park Circle around 6:30 pm. Visuals showed police using force to control surging crowds. Around 50,000 people had gathered in a 1-km radius near the stadium at the time of the incident.

Ambulances Trapped, Delayed Response for the Injured

Emergency response was hampered as ambulances struggled to move through the crowd. “There was an ambulance with 40 injured people. I was lucky to get out in time. Even police were struggling to manage the crowd,” said Avinash S, a survivor from RR Nagar.

DKS Apologises, Says 'Crowd Was Uncontrollable'

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that the crowd was uncontrollable. "I think this is not a controllable crowd. I apologise to all the people of Bengaluru and Karnataka, we wanted to take a procession, but the crowd is uncontrollable," DK Shivakumar told news agency PTI. On being asked about the stampede-like situation, Shivakumar said, "Can't confirm anything. We had arranged more than 5,000 personnel. This is a young vibrant crowd, we can't use lathi.

Condolences Pour In From PM and Rahul Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief, calling the incident “absolutely heartrending”. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also expressed condolences and said: “This tragedy is a painful reminder: no celebration is worth a human life. Every safety protocol for public events must be reviewed and strictly enforced, lives must always come first.”

RCB Representative Appeals for Empathy

Amid the backlash, an RCB representative appealed for compassion, saying: “We need to understand the sentiments and raw emotions of people too. They have patiently waited 18 years for this Cup, and all we need is to empathise with them for their vulnerability and emotions. Let’s please try to manage this together.”

(With news agencies inputs)

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