RCB Wins IPL Trophy After 18 Years
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) eventually took home the IPL championship after a gruelling 18-year wait. They beat the Punjab Kings by six runs in Ahmedabad on June 3. For Virat Kohli and his squad, it was a momentous and poignant occasion.
Celebration Turns into Tragedy
But the happiness soon gave way to grief. The following day, June 4, RCB hosted a fan celebration at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium. Unfortunately, things got out of hand and were fatal.
Due to a stampede, 11 people lost their lives, and more than 50 people were injured and taken to the hospital.
Poor Planning and Mismanagement
At first, the Karnataka State Cricket Association wanted to hold a victory parade on the streets with the trophy. But the local police did not allow it for security reasons.
As a result, the celebration was agreed to take place inside the stadium. Unfortunately, the stadium became a nightmare due to inadequate planning and poor crowd control.
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Police Used Force, Panic Caused Deaths
When the gathering became unruly, the police began to use batons to calm the mob. This led to panic and mayhem, and the stampede immediately claimed seven lives.
Former Cricketer Madan Lal Blames RCB
Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal expressed his anger at the RCB team and the event organizers. Speaking to IANS, he said:
“People will never forget this incident – not even Virat Kohli. People were dying outside, and celebrations were going on inside. It is heartbreaking.”
He also said that RCB and the state government should be fined ₹100 crore, and the families of the victims should file a legal case. He accused BCCI of also ignoring their responsibility.
Compensation for Victims’ Families
The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, announced that each of the victims’ families would receive ₹10 lakh as compensation.
Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar said they tried their best to manage the event, stating:
“We arranged for 5,000 police personnel. But you can’t use force on such a young and energetic crowd.”
Source: Independent TV
