Tens of Thousands of Fans Rush to IPL Victory Celebration
Attempt to Break Down Gates of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to Enter
An enormous crowd gathered to celebrate the victory of India's most popular sport, cricket, leading to a deadly stampede that left 11 people dead and more than 30 injured.
According to the Associated Press and other sources on June 5 (local time), tens of thousands of fans flocked to the Indian Premier League (IPL) victory celebration held the previous afternoon in Bengaluru, Karnataka, southern India.
Some of the fans attempted to break down the gates of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to force their way inside. During this process, 11 people were confirmed dead and more than 30 were injured.
Local Indian broadcasters reported scenes of some fans lying on the ground and paramedics rushing the injured into ambulances, even as the scheduled celebration continued inside the stadium.
The IPL is the most popular cricket league in the world. On the day of the incident, celebrations were being held for the Royal Challengers Bangalore team, who had won the championship for the first time since their founding. According to the Associated Press, "The club distributed free admission tickets to fans through its website ahead of the event."
Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka, said at a press conference, "It is deeply regrettable that such a tragic accident occurred during the festival," adding, "We did not anticipate such a large crowd." He stated that most of the injured are being treated in stable condition at hospitals, but also expressed "deep sorrow over the accident."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also commented after the accident, calling it "heartbreaking" and offering his condolences "to all those who have lost loved ones."
Debajit Saikia, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), described the incident as "the dark side of a popular sport," and pointed out, "The organizers should have planned better before the event."
Royal Challengers Bangalore players gathered outside Vidhan Soudha to celebrate their victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Photo by AFP.
Cricket, which originated in England in the 16th century, is extremely popular in regions such as South Asia and Oceania. With more than 2.5 billion fans worldwide, cricket has also been adopted as an official sport for the 2028 LA Olympics. In India, the world's most populous country with about 1.46 billion people, stampedes frequently occur whenever large crowds gather.
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