What should have been a moment of jubilation turned tragic as 11 people lost their lives and 33 were injured in a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory parade. The celebrations, held less than 18 hours after the team's historic title win, have sparked outrage over poor crowd management and the need for such a massive event on such short notice.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal did not hold back in criticizing the franchise. Speaking out after the incident, he called the tragedy "completely avoidable" and urged RCB to take responsibility for what he called a misjudgment.
“You celebrated in Ahmedabad the previous night—what was the rush to organize a grand event in Bengaluru the next day? Eleven lives were lost unnecessarily,” said Madan Lal, a member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team.
While the news of the stampede dominated headlines, the RCB event inside the stadium proceeded, albeit in a shortened format. Players including Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar addressed the fans before the ceremony concluded. The team management later stated that celebrations were cut short as soon as they were informed about the incident.
This was the first time an IPL team had attempted a city-wide victory parade on such a scale. The tragedy has prompted many to question the planning and timing of the event, with calls growing louder for accountability and better safety protocols for public gatherings.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)