In the wake of a tragic stampede that claimed at least 11 lives and injured over 40 people near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government has appointed a senior IAS officer to conduct a magisterial probe. 
The incident occurred on Wednesday during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory celebrations, drawing widespread grief and triggering a political slugfest.
The government has designated Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate G. Jagadeesha as the inquiry officer. 
An official order issued by the Internal Department (Law and Order) mandates that the investigation be completed within 15 days. 
The probe will examine the causes behind the stampede, the sequence of events, administrative lapses, and accountability of officials involved.
According to the report submitted by the Karnataka Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police, M.A. Saleem, the stampede occurred between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm when a barricade collapsed as thousands of fans surged toward the stadium gates. 
The gathering was reportedly spontaneous and massive, despite security arrangements being in place on short notice.
The Karnataka government has announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the deceased. 
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the magisterial inquiry during a press conference and reaffirmed that the earlier decision to cancel the official victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium was made for security reasons.
Political War of Words
Amid mourning, a political row has erupted over the tragedy. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar lashed out at the BJP for "indulging in politics over dead bodies.
" Speaking at the Chief Minister&rsquo;s home office, Shivakumar said, &ldquo;Several people have lost their lives, and families are grieving. But the insensitive BJP is busy playing politics. This is a time to help the injured and support the bereaved, not score political points.&rdquo;
Shivakumar revealed that the RCB team had requested an open-vehicle parade from HAL airport, which was denied by the government after police flagged concerns about maintaining law and order. 
&ldquo;We had already cancelled the parade as a precautionary measure. Despite that, the crowd surged and tragedy struck,&rdquo; he said.
Responding to BJP&rsquo;s online criticism of State Home Minister G. Parameshwara for allegedly mishandling the event, the Deputy CM accused the opposition of hypocrisy, noting that the same BJP had earlier demanded permission for a public parade.
Condolences Pour In
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident through a post on X, saying: &ldquo;The mishap in Bengaluru is absolutely heartrending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those who are injured have a speedy recovery.&rdquo;
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi also mourned the loss of lives, calling the incident &ldquo;heartbreaking.&rdquo; He wrote: &ldquo;My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. This tragedy is a painful reminder that no celebration is worth a human life. Every safety protocol for public events must be reviewed and strictly enforced.&rdquo;
Relief and Investigation Underway
The injured were promptly shifted to Bowring and Vaidehi hospitals, with the police and emergency services working overnight to manage the crowd and provide medical assistance.
Authorities have reiterated that the focus remains on relief efforts and determining the lapses that led to the catastrophe.
As the state mourns the loss of lives, the upcoming magisterial inquiry is expected to shed light on the administrative oversights and help prevent such incidents in the future.
&mdash;IANS
(Apart from the headline, this article has not been edited by Benefit News editorial team and is published from an IANS news feed.)

Crowd rush causing stampede near stadium entrance

Deputy CM blames BJP for politicising tragedy; RCB parade was cancelled in advance

K’taka Orders Probe Into Bengaluru Stampede

Deputy CM blames BJP for politicising tragedy; RCB parade was cancelled in advance

June 5, 2025 | 17:15 IST

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