Stampede in Bengaluru cricket stadium kills 11, injures 33 amid celebrations; crowd control challenges noted.

At least 11 people lost their lives in a stampede that occurred on Wednesday outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru, the capital city of India’s southern Karnataka state.

The tragic incident unfolded as thousands of enthusiastic fans gathered outside the stadium to celebrate the victory of their home team, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final.

Karnataka's Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah—who is known mononymously—explained that the stampede occurred when a large section of the crowd attempted to forcefully break through the stadium gates in an effort to join the celebrations taking place inside.

According to Siddaramaiah, 11 individuals were confirmed dead as a result of the incident. Additionally, 33 others sustained injuries. He assured the public that the injured victims were in stable condition and were receiving medical treatment in hospitals.

“At a time of celebration, this unfortunate event should not have happened. We are deeply saddened by this,” he said in a statement to reporters. “No one expected the crowd to be this large.”

D.K. Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, spoke to the AFP news agency, describing how police found crowd control extremely challenging during the event.

“I apologize to the people of Karnataka and Bengaluru,” he said. “We had intended to take a procession, but the crowd was very uncontrollable... the sheer size of the crowd was overwhelming.”

Local television channels broadcast footage showing police officers moving injured individuals to nearby ambulances to ensure they received prompt medical attention.

Stampedes and overcrowding incidents are frequently reported at large gatherings across India, particularly at religious events where millions of devotees come together for special occasions.

In February, a similar tragedy struck at a railway station in New Delhi, where at least 18 people were killed and over 10 injured in a stampede as crowds rushed to catch trains to the Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious congregation.

In July of the previous year, more than 100 people lost their lives in a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in Mughalghari village, located in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh in northern India.