'Heartbroken' Anushka Sharma Reacts To Tragic Stampede During RCB Victory Celebrations In Bengaluru

After 18-year wait, Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first Indian Premier League in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on June 3. Following the victory, the team reached Karnataka to celebrate with fans. However, the celebration turned into tragedy when 11 people died and 33 were injured at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru due to chaos and a stampede.

Anushka Sharma, who is married to Virat, was left heartbroken. Sharing Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s official statement on the stampede and death of 11 fans, the actress added three broken heart emojis.

RCB’s statement read, “We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate incidents that have come to light through media reports regarding public gatherings all over Bengaluru in anticipation of the team's arrival this afternoon. The safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to us.”

The team added, “RCB mourns the tragic loss of lives and extend our heartfelt condolences to the affected families. Immediately upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly amended our program, and followed, the guidance and advice of the local administration. We urge all our supporters to please stay safe.”

According to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the reason behind the tragedy was overcrowding and narrow passageways. The stadium, with the capacity to accommodate around 32,000 people, saw a sea of 2 lakh supporters. As per reports, doctors attributed all the deaths to asphyxia, a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen.

Earlier in the day, Anushka shared videos from the bus carrying RCB team members. People could be seen waving out to Virat and his men. One of her Instagram Stories had the caption, “These happy faces have waited for this very lovingly and patiently.” In another video, the cops were to be seen controlling the crowd.

According to the police, a victory parade planned by the RCB wasn’t permitted considering safety concerns. Owing to security reasons, the scale of the event was lowered. A felicitation ceremony prior to the event at Vidhana Soudha, attended by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, was also wrapped quickly.