'No one rescued people, police was helpless': Eyewitness recalls what unfolded during Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede

Stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium

At least 11 people died and several others were injured during a stampede that took place outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru after thousands of people gathered there to celebrate RCB's big win against PKBS in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night.

An eyewitness, Mahesh, spoke to ANI about what unfolded during the stampede that happened outside the stadium. "Many people had come to see Virat Kohli and the RCB team. A lot of girls tried to enter M Chinnaswamy Stadium by pushing the gate. I saw three girls fall, but no one rescued them. The police were also helpless because of the large crowd," Mahesh said.

Another girl, who was seen waiting outside the stadium after the stampede, said, "The seats and all are full; that is the reason they are not letting us in. We want to go back, but we are not allowed to go back. The gates are crowded with people, so even if they open the gates, more people will come inside. Many are injured, so I think that’s why the gates remain closed."

Opposition leaders slammed the state government for poor crowd management and for turning the celebrations sour as so many people were killed in the tragic event.

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy expressed deep shock over the stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s victory celebration.

He blamed the Congress-led state government for the tragedy, citing poor preparation and lack of precautions.

Kumaraswamy urged the government to support victims’ families and ensure proper treatment for the injured. He also appealed to the police to ensure public safety and prevent further panic.

Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP tweeted, "Many are battling for life after a stampede due to the irresponsibility of Congress govt. No crowd control measures. No basic arrangements. Just chaos. While innocent people died, @siddaramaiah & @DKShivakumar were busy shooting reels & hogging limelight with cricketers. Shame on this photo-op Congress government. This is criminal negligence. Blood is on the hands of Congress govt."