A tragic stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) victory parade resulted in the deaths of 11 people and left over 50 injured. The incident has sparked a political storm, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching a fierce attack on the Karnataka government. The BJP has held Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar directly responsible for the disaster, demanding their resignations due to alleged negligence and mismanagement.
The stampede occurred on June 4, 2025, as thousands of cricket fans gathered to celebrate RCB's victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The joyous occasion quickly turned into chaos as the crowd surged, leading to the tragic incident.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra described the event as "serious and sorrowful," emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "Yesterday, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, 11 people died in a stampede. This is not only a tragic event for Karnataka but for the entire country," he stated.
Patra raised questions about the circumstances leading to the tragedy, suggesting it might not have been a mere accident. "Was this just an accident or a manufactured stampede? I believe this was a government-manufactured stampede," he asserted. He criticized the Chief Minister's response, highlighting Siddaramaiah's comment that such stampedes occur everywhere, which he found dismissive of the loss of 11 innocent lives. Patra argued that the internal power struggles within the government contributed to the disaster.
Government Response and Criticism
The BJP spokesperson also took to social media, questioning whether the same legal actions taken against actor Allu Arjun in a previous stampede incident would be applied to the Karnataka leadership.
"Just like Allu Arjun was arrested earlier for being responsible for the stampede, will Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar be arrested today?" Patra asked. The hasty organization of the victory march was blamed for the disaster, with Patra criticizing the government for rushing the event within 12 hours, allegedly for a photo opportunity.
Questions were raised about the legality and planning of the event. "Who authorized this event? Who gave permission on paper? We want to see the risk assessment and the crowd management plan," Patra demanded. He further questioned how the stadium, with a capacity of 35,000, could accommodate 300,000 people and why they were allowed in. The continuation of celebrations while the stampede unfolded was condemned by Patra, who described it as "perhaps the first time India has seen something so shameful."
In response to the incident, the Karnataka government has ordered a magisterial inquiry and announced compensation for the victims' families. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a press briefing, downplayed the deaths by comparing them to the Maha Kumbh tragedy, stating, "50-60 people died at the stampede in Maha Kumbh. I did not criticize it."
He mentioned that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered, with a report expected within 15 days. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders across party lines.
