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At least ten people who had come to view their Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket team tragically lost their lives on Wednesday, June 4. A stampede occurred after large crowds gathered in front of Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Hospital staff from Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital and Vydehi Superspecialty Hospital said that several dead and injured were brought to their hospital. Director of Bowring Hospital Manoj Kumar confirmed that six people had been brought dead to their hospital.
Several others, including children, have reportedly been injured and rushed to these two hospitals. Thirteen people were admitted with injuries to Vydehi Hospital, out of which nine were said to be in a stable condition.
While huge crowds had gathered in front of Vidhana Soudha as well, where the cricketers arrived first to be feted by the state government, it was at Chinnaswamy stadium, where most of the fans were concentrated. The surge of crowds when the doors of the gates were opened, is what is said to have caused the stampede and the deaths.
Fans rushed in when the gates of the stadium were opened, resulting in a stampede as police resorted to a lathi charge in a frantic bid to control the situation.
Many people fainted as the crowds were surging towards the gates at the stadium and were rushed to get medical help by the police.
Even ambulances had a tough time making their way to the stadium. And visuals from outside the stadium showed many people being carried out by police till the ambulances.
Bengaluru police earlier in the day had declared there would be no procession or open bud parade of the cricket team. All celebrations, they said, would be held only in the Chinnaswamy stadium. Regardless, people were moving towards the stadium, hoping for a chance to enter the stadium or get a glimpse of their team.
Crowds started drifting towards the stadium from mid-morning, and by late afternoon, there was a sizable crowd already clogging the stadium and surrounding areas.
TNM reporters around the stadium noticed that the crowd were rushing towards the gates at the same time, every time the stadium announcers would tease the crowd about opening the gates.
People could be seen climbing cars parked on the road and scaling the fence around the stadium. Police tried to control the crowd, but as the gates opened to the stadium, people with and without tickets rushed into the stadium.
Some parents placed their children on top of the cars to avoid the rush of people.