Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah attributed the stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium to the Cricket Association. Responding to BJP's inquiries, he referenced a stampede during the grand Kumbh festival and urged against politicizing these incidents. The CM described the chaos during the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL victory celebration as an 'unexpected catastrophe.' The tragedy resulted in the loss of 11 lives, with many more injured. Speaking at a press conference, CM Siddaramaiah stated that the government and the Cricket Association organized the victory parade, never anticipating such an incident. A massive crowd of 300,000-400,000 gathered outside a stadium meant for only 35,000 people, catching everyone off guard.
CM Siddaramaiah shared on X (formerly Twitter), 'The pain of this tragedy has overshadowed the joy of victory.' The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening when thousands of fans gathered outside the stadium to celebrate RCB’s long-awaited IPL win. Concerns about crowd management existed beforehand, yet the overwhelming attendance led to the fatal stampede, claiming 11 lives.
Also Read: 'Won't take much of your time...', What Kohli told fans after the disaster at the Stadium
CM visits hospitals to meet the injured
CM Siddaramaiah visited Boring and Vydehi hospitals to meet the injured and their families. He stated that the government had not sanctioned the large victory procession due to security concerns. However, the turnout exceeded expectations. The government stands with the victims.
Announcing 1 million compensation
During this, CM Siddaramaiah announced financial assistance of 1 million rupees to the families of the deceased. Additionally, all injured individuals will receive free medical treatment. He mentioned the stadium was equipped with small gates. Crowds breached these gates, causing panic and chaos. The situation was unexpected.
Blames Cricket Association
The BJP consistently criticizes Congress over this incident. CM Siddaramaiah responded, saying he does not wish to politicize the tragedy. The BJP is doing so. Similar incidents occurred during Kumbh, yet these should not be politicized. He emphasized that the Cricket Association organized the event at the stadium, with granted permissions. Although people gathered outside the assembly too, no disaster occurred. The responsibility lies with the Cricket Association.
