Bengaluru Stampede Tragedy: DK Shivakumar Apologizes, Slams BJP for Politicizing RCB Victory Parade Incident

Bengaluru: The vibrant city of Bengaluru was struck by a devastating tragedy on June 4, 2025, when a stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations claimed 11 lives and injured over 30 fans. The joyous occasion, meant to honor RCB’s maiden IPL triumph, turned chaotic as thousands overwhelmed security measures. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar issued a heartfelt apology, acknowledging the uncontrollable crowd, while sharply criticizing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for exploiting the incident for political gain. As the state grapples with grief, questions about crowd management and accountability loom large.

A Celebration Turned into diaster

The euphoria surrounding RCB’s first IPL title in 18 years drew an unprecedented crowd to Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with estimates suggesting 2-3 lakh fans gathered, far exceeding the venue’s 35,000 capacity. The excitement, fueled by rumors of free entry passes, led to chaos at Gate 7, where fans surged forward, breaking barriers and overwhelming police. The stampede occurred shortly after the RCB team, led by Rajat Patidar, arrived from a felicitation at Vidhana Soudha.

RCB’s win proved one thing — they finally got the trophy, but still haven’t found their brains#chinnaswamystadiumpic.twitter.com/NR9NE8iWR9

— Nikhil (@nikkhilknows) June 4, 2025

 Visuals of scattered shoes and panicked crowds underscored the severity of the incident. The Karnataka government has announced ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ordered a magisterial inquiry to investigate lapses. The cricketing community, including players like Virat Kohli and Harbhajan Singh, expressed profound grief, with RCB issuing a statement of solidarity. The tragedy has cast a shadow over Bengaluru’s pride, highlighting the urgent need for better crowd control and event planning to prevent such heartbreak in the future.

Political Storm Amidst Mourning

He apologized to the people of Karnataka, stressing that the event was meant to celebrate RCB’s historic win, not end in sorrow. However, the incident sparked a political firestorm, with the BJP, led by figures like BY Vijayendra and Pralhad Joshi, accusing the Congress-led government of negligence and demanding a judicial probe.

Shivakumar hit back, accusing the BJP of politicizing the tragedy for electoral mileage, calling their criticism a shameful attempt to score points during a time of mourning. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah echoed the sentiment, noting that while no parade was permitted from Vidhana Soudha, the unexpected crowd at the stadium led to the disaster. As Bengaluru mourns, the political blame game threatens to overshadow the focus on supporting victims’ families and ensuring accountability, with both sides urged to prioritize unity over division in addressing this heartbreaking loss.