BENGALURU, India (Diya TV) — What began as a moment of jubilation quickly turned into heartbreak in Bengaluru, as a stampede outside a stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL victory celebration claimed at least 11 lives and left nearly 50 injured. The tragedy unfolded just a day after RCB secured their first-ever Indian Premier League title, ending an 18-year wait that sent fans into a frenzy across the city.

Lakhs of fans had gathered near the stadium for the felicitation event, overwhelming security measures and triggering chaos. Despite the growing unrest outside, the celebrations inside the packed venue continued for some time before being eventually called off. The city’s joyful mood shifted to mourning within hours.

Reacting to the incident, Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Arun Dhumal expressed his condolences but clarified that the event was not organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the IPL. “It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones,” Dhumal told.

He emphasized that the IPL officially concluded the night before with RCB’s win and that the league had no involvement in the subsequent celebrations. “For the BCCI, the IPL concluded last night. We had no knowledge of such an incident occurring, so how can we be held responsible for it?” he said. “Have you seen any IPL officials present at the gate, managing the crowd, or facilitating the players’ entry?”

Dhumal stated that upon learning about the stampede, he immediately instructed organizers to wind up the event. “As soon as I was informed about the incident, I spoke to RCB officials. They were inside the stadium and did not know about what was happening outside. Based on that conversation, I was told they immediately called off the event,” he added.

The question of who organized the event and how crowd control was handled remains central to the ongoing investigation. “Who called them [RCB]? Who was responsible for facilitating them? These are questions the local administration must investigate. They need to identify what went wrong and ensure such incidents never happen again,” Dhumal added.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia echoed Dhumal’s sentiments, describing the incident as “very unfortunate” and acknowledging potential planning failures. “I think there were some lapses. The BCCI has no role in it. But it’s a lesson to learn. We will look into forming new rules for such victory celebrations going forward,” Saikia told.

The tragedy has cast a shadow over what should have been a historic and joyous occasion for RCB and its fans. While the team’s triumph remains a significant milestone in IPL history, the aftermath has sparked urgent questions about public safety and event planning.

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