The joy of the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) recent win was marred by a stampede that caused the deaths of eleven individuals and injured approximately fifty others. The incident occurred during post-match celebrations in Bengaluru. Authorities have arrested four people, including RCB marketing official Nikhli Sosale, in connection with the tragedy outside the Chinnaswamy stadium. The BCCI is now taking steps to create safety guidelines for future victory celebrations.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia commented, “At some stage BCCI will have to do something. We cannot be a silent spectator.” He added, “It was a private affair of RCB, but we at the BCCI are responsible for cricket in India and we will try to ensure such incidents do not recur in future.”
Poor communication and organizational issues may have contributed to the stampede. Confusion regarding the event’s schedule and location, with announcements causing people to move between Vidhana Soudha and the stadium, played a role. Furthermore, it appears that some law enforcement officers were not fully informed about the schedule. Inadequate guidance from ground staff also made it challenging to manage the crowds.