The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations in Bengaluru turned tragic on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, after a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in 11 fatalities and numerous injuries. The incident occurred as thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the team's first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title win after 18 years.

Following the tragedy, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar addressed the media, expressing his condolences and appealing for calm. He stated that the government had shortened the official celebration program to approximately 10 minutes in light of the stampede. "We shortened the program. The program ended within 10 minutes. We are trying to make everything normal," Shivakumar said. He also mentioned that he had spoken to the Police Commissioner and would visit the hospital to check on the injured.

Shivakumar also issued a public apology, acknowledging that the crowd was "uncontrollable." "I apologize to all the people of Bengaluru and Karnataka, we wanted to take a procession, but the crowd is uncontrollable," he said. Despite the apology, Shivakumar defended the administration, stating, "I will not blame the administration, our administration is the best." He also noted the difficulty in managing the crowd, stating, "This was a young and energetic crowd, we cannot use lathis."

However, the decision to continue with the celebrations inside the stadium while the tragedy unfolded outside drew heavy criticism. Many questioned the insensitivity of proceeding with the event as news of the stampede and casualties spread. Social media platforms were flooded with comments expressing outrage and grief, with users questioning why the celebrations weren't immediately halted.

The opposition party, BJP, has heavily criticized the Congress-led state government for alleged mismanagement and lack of preparedness. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the government of "state-sponsored criminal negligence and murder," calling for the resignation of key officials. BJP leaders have also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident to determine the exact cause and assign responsibility.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the stampede occurred as a massive crowd attempted to enter the stadium through a limited number of gates. The situation was further complicated by the fact that many fans did not have entry passes but were desperate to join the celebrations. Reports indicate that some fans even resorted to scaling stadium walls and fences in an attempt to get inside.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Karnataka government has postponed all events except for a scheduled cabinet meeting. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the injured in the hospital and announced compensation for the families of the deceased. Royal Challengers Bangalore issued an official statement expressing their condolences and stating that the safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to them.

The incident has raised serious questions about crowd management and safety protocols at large public events. Authorities are now under pressure to investigate the circumstances that led to the stampede and implement measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.