Former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar expressed deep sorrow over the tragic stampede that occurred outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium. The incident took place during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) celebration after their historic IPL title win.

RCB had secured their first IPL trophy in 18 years by defeating Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The team returned to Bengaluru to celebrate with their fans

Deadly Stampede Turns Joy to Tragedy

However, the celebration turned into chaos outside the stadium. A massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. Sadly, a stampede broke out, resulting in the deaths of 11 people and leaving 33 others injured.

Tendulkar posted his reaction on X, saying, “What happened at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, is beyond tragic. My heart goes out to every affected family. Wishing peace and strength to all.”

BCCI Calls the Incident “Unfortunate”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a statement, calling the incident “unfortunate.”
Devajit Saikia, the board secretary, remarked, “This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better.”

IPL Chairman Expresses Condolences

Arun Dhumal, the IPL Chairman, also shared his grief and pointed out a lack of prior communication. He said,  “This is a very unfortunate incident... We had no information that such an event was being planned... If such events are planned in the future, then proper arrangements should be made... Those who were sitting inside the stadium had no information about the incident. We express condolences to the families of the deceased. A title win was to be celebrated; rather, the loss of lives is being mourned.”

Event Went On, But Parade Was Cancelled

Despite the tragedy outside, RCB continued with the planned felicitation ceremony inside the stadium. However, the open-bus parade that was approved by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah got cancelled.

Inside the stadium, Virat Kohli and captain Rajat Patidar addressed the cheering crowd. Later, the team paraded the trophy around the ground to celebrate with fans.