After ecstasy, Bengaluru mourns

Hours before RCB victory celebrations, stampede leads to death; BCCI in shock & franchise saddened

- GOMESH S @ Chennai

IN what was supposed to be a celebration parade remembered fondly for years ended up into a tragic incident as several lives were lost in a stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL title win ceremony in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Expecting to watch their cricketing heroes and celebrate their team's victory, thousands of fans had taken to the streets since the afternoon. Soon, it led to chaos and tragedy as several people were injured and at least 10 people died by the time the team reached the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the bus after meeting with the state chief minister in Vidhana Soudha.

From metro stations to roads, everything came to a standstill in the city as thousands of fans, including children, were trying to get to the venue and get a glimpse of their stars and the team without any clarity on the situation. In several videos that did rounds on social media, law enforcement officials could be seen pleading to the fans to go back home and watch the celebrations on television. What made the tragedy look even worse was that the celebrations went on inside the stadium — it was also streamed live — even as the death toll increased.