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As many as 11 people were killed and dozens injured in Bengaluru stampede.
Eleven people died and 33 were injured following a stampede near the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the incident took place as a large number of people gathered to take part in the RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) team’s IPL victory celebrations. Expressing grief over the incident, calling it an “unexpected tragedy”, he announced Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the kin of the deceased, while also ordering a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
Bengaluru Stampede Live Updates
“The Karnataka state cricket association had organised a programme for the victory celebration (at the stadium), there was also a programme from the government (at Vidhana Soudha). At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, a big tragedy happened. Due to the stampede, 11 people have died and 33 have suffered injuries,” Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital and Vydehi Super Speciality Hospital here, Siddaramaiah said such a tragedy should not have happened. He said most of the deceased are youth, including men and women, with several of them being students.
He has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation to the kin of each deceased. Instructions have been given to provide free treatment to the injured, he said, adding that the total number of injured, including those who have been treated as outpatients and discharged, is 47.
The chief minister said the magisterial inquiry will be conducted by the deputy commissioner of the district with a 15 days’ time frame and, based on the inquiry, action will be taken against the guilty.
Watch | Scenes Of Chaos As Stampede Erupts At RCB Victory Parade Outside Chinnaswamy Stadium
The deceased were identified as Bhoomik (20), Sahana (19), Poornachand (32), Chinmayi (19), Divyanshi (13), Shravan (20), Devi (29), Shivaling (17), Manoj Kumar (33) and Akshata. One person who is aged about 20 years is yet to be identified.
Shravan is a natural of Chintamani, Devi is from Andhra Pradesh, Shivaaling from Kannur, Akshata from Mangaluru and Poornachand is from Mandya District, Official Sources Said.
Siddaramaiah said people and fans had gathered beyond our expectations. In front of Vidhana Soudha, more than 1 lakh people had gathered and there was no untoward incident there, but at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the tragedy happened, he said.
“No one had expected it, neither the cricket association, nor the government,” he said.
Noting that the stadium has the capacity for 35,000 people, but two to three lakh people had come, he further said: “The match happened last evening (Tuesday) and today this event was organised by the cricket association, so no one had expected that so many people would come. The expectation was the equivalent number of people for the stadium’s capacity or slightly more than that may gather.”
Explaining what exactly led to the chaos and stampede, the CM said: “There are small gates. The people entered through the gates. They have broken the gates also, so a stampede has taken place. Nobody had expected so much of a crowd to come. Prima facie looks like that. I’m not saying nothing has happened. Inquiry will bring out facts.”
Calling the tragedy “criminal negligence”, the BJP blamed the Congress government in Karnataka and blood is on their hands.
Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
BJP IT in-charge Amit Malviya said that accountability for the tragedy must be fixed. “Lives were lost due to negligence, not chance,” he said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi blamed “poor planning and crowd mismanagement” by the Karnataka government for the stampede.
Tejasvi Surya, BJP MP from Bengaluru South, urged the people to celebrate with responsibility.
“Let this moment of joy not be overshadowed by tragedy,” he said in a post on X.
Not willing to react to BJP leaders and Union ministers’ criticism of his government over the incident, Siddaramaiah accused them of playing politics.
“I do not want to play politics here in this case….that is why, despite people gathering there unexpectedly. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry. Whoever is guilty, whether it is a security failure or any other failure — all of them will be covered under the magisterial inquiry,” he said.
Asked about allegations that lack of preparedness led to the incident, he said he or his government do not want to defend the tragedy that has happened, and don’t want to play politics in this.
“Let us see the outcome of the magisterial report, I will give 15 days’ time,” he added.
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
