What began as a festive celebration in the heart of the city quickly turned catastrophic on Wednesday evening, when a stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed the lives of at least 10 people and left more than 50 injured.
The incident unfolded around 4:45 pm as enormous crowds gathered outside various entry points to the stadium near Cubbon Park, awaiting a public felicitation of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team following their IPL championship 2025 win.&nbsp;
A sudden surge led to panic and a stampede-like situation, resulting in fatalities and chaos across the area.
Medical personnel at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Shivajinagar confirmed that three individuals out of 17 rushed there were declared dead on arrival. Meanwhile, at Vydehi Super Speciality Hospital on Vittal Mallya Road, four of the nine admitted were also pronounced dead. In total, over 20 injured were reported across these hospitals.
One of the victims was 14-year-old Divyamshi, who had attended the event with her mother, aunt, and other relatives. Her grandfather, speaking from Bowring Hospital, confirmed her death. Outside the hospitals, scenes of anguish unfolded as relatives broke down upon receiving news of their loved ones.
Efforts to transport the injured to hospitals were hampered by heavy congestion around the stadium. Two ambulances carrying critical patients were delayed as they were caught in dense crowds. Emergency teams resorted to using private vehicles and police vans to shift victims, some of whom received CPR from fellow attendees on-site.
As panic intensified, crowd control measures collapsed. Barricades were trampled, and hundreds of abandoned shoes were scattered near the gates. Police forces were compelled to resort to a lathi charge as people attempted to storm the venue, with some climbing over compound walls in desperation.&nbsp;
One man sustained a leg fracture after falling during such an attempt.
Hospital officials at Bowring stated they were overwhelmed by the influx of patients and were unable to keep count of the injured. The scale of the incident raised concerns that the number of casualties could increase.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda visited Bowring Hospital following the tragedy. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also rushed to the hospital after holding a high-level meeting with Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and senior police officials.
Earlier in the day, jubilant RCB fans had flooded the streets to celebrate the team&rsquo;s victory. Dressed in team jerseys and waving flags, supporters gathered at major locations across the city.&nbsp;
Chants of &ldquo;RCB, RCB&rdquo; echoed through neighbourhoods, with cheers for star players such as Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar continuing from Tuesday night into Wednesday afternoon.
In KR Market, members of pro-Kannada organisations were seen pouring milk over cut-outs of Kohli, cutting celebratory cakes, and distributing sweets to passersby. Metro stations at Cubbon Park and Vidhana Soudha were skipped by trains due to crowd control concerns.
The RCB squad arrived at HAL Airport on Wednesday afternoon and boarded their team bus en route to Vidhana Soudha for a government-organised felicitation. Despite requests from officials to avoid crowding the airport and Vidhana Soudha, throngs of supporters assembled along the route. Some climbed trees for a better view, as the team bus departed the airport around 2:45 pm amid loud cheers and chants.
Thousands more gathered near the stadium, resulting in gridlocked roads and near-total standstill of traffic in parts of the city. The public celebration at Vidhana Soudha was cut short due to rain, adding to the already strained situation.
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At least 10 dead and over 50 injured as massive crowds trigger a stampede during RCB’s IPL victory event.

RCB Victory Parade Turns Deadly in Bengaluru Stampede

At least 10 dead and over 50 injured as massive crowds trigger a stampede during RCB’s IPL victory event.

June 5, 2025 | 24:42 IST

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