At least 11 people died and dozens were injured in a deadly stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, on June 4, 2025, as massive crowds gathered to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League championship victory.
The tragedy occurred when more than 200,000 people gathered for the victory parade, exceeding expectations by more than double the anticipated attendance. Karnataka state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah indicated that some people in the crowd attempted to break through a stadium gate to join the festivities, leading to the fatal crush.
A police official explained that the stampede began after people tried to push through a small gate near Cubbon Park. The overwhelming crowd surge proved impossible to control as fans attempted to scale walls and gates at the stadium, desperate to catch a glimpse of their cricket heroes following the team’s historic tournament victory on June 3.
Emergency services struggled to reach victims through the dense crowds and traffic congestion. Four people died at Vydehi Multispecialty Hospital, while three were pronounced dead on arrival at Bowring Hospital. The injury count varied between reports, with some sources citing 33 injured while others reported up to 47 casualties.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru team had defeated Punjab Kings to win the annual cricket competition, featuring English players Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone. The victory marked RCB’s first IPL title in the tournament’s 18-year history, triggering widespread celebrations across the southern state of Karnataka.
Police were forced to perform lathi charges, running at crowds with batons to disperse them as the situation deteriorated. Some officers attempted to provide CPR to victims outside the stadium while ambulances battled through the massive crowds to transport the injured to medical facilities.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his shock at the loss of life, stating that “no one expected this crowd.” He noted that precautionary measures had been taken by canceling the planned victory parade route from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium due to health and safety concerns, but the crowd surge near the stadium still led to tragedy.
The stadium’s capacity is 35,000, but approximately 300,000 people gathered for the victory celebration according to local media reports. More than 100,000 additional people also gathered at the state assembly, though no incidents were reported from that location.
Fans had begun congregating at the expected player entrance gate as early as the evening before the scheduled celebration. Police were unable to discourage people from joining the growing crowd despite safety concerns about the increasing numbers.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organizes the Indian Premier League, described the incident as unfortunate. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said organizers should have planned the event better, noting that the tragedy represents a negative side of cricket’s popularity in India.
The cricket team released a statement expressing their deep anguish following the incident. The government-organized celebration for the team was called off after the stampede occurred.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident heartrending and extended his thoughts to those who had lost loved ones. The tragedy overshadowed what should have been a moment of celebration for the team and their supporters.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges with crowd control at major public events in India. Despite the grave situation, large crowds continued to remain outside the stadium throughout June 4, even after news of the stampede had spread.
There had been previous scenes of unrest following the victory itself on June 3, when incidents of violence occurred in other parts of the city. Police had to perform additional crowd control measures elsewhere as fans celebrated by climbing on buses and trucks.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association had organized the special felicitation for the RCB squad inside the stadium after the winning team returned from Ahmedabad, where the final match was held. However, the sheer volume of fans, many without entry passes, overwhelmed all security arrangements despite repeated warnings from authorities and appeals for calm.