The tragic stampede in Bengaluru on June 4, 2025, during celebrations for Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title victory, has sparked a political storm, with BJP MP Tejasvi Surya sharply criticizing the Karnataka government's handling of the event. The incident, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injuries to dozens more, has been labeled "avoidable" by Surya, who has accused the state government of negligence and mismanagement.
Surya, the Bengaluru South MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president, has been vocal in his condemnation of the Congress-led state government, alleging that inadequate security arrangements and poor planning contributed to the deadly stampede. In a statement on social media, Surya expressed his dismay at the tragedy, stating, "Absolutely gutted by the tragic reports coming in from Chinnaswamy. What should have been a celebration of joy & loyalty turned out to be so fatal."
Surya further accused the state government of seeking undue credit for RCB's victory while failing to ensure the safety of the fans who gathered to celebrate. "While the state government & leadership were busy hogging their undeserving share of limelight in RCB's victory with the CM himself making an open invitation for the celebration, no arrangements were made on the ground," Surya asserted, adding that the government "failed to plan this out [and] took bizarre last-minute decisions."
The BJP has amplified Surya's criticism, with the Karnataka BJP unit also lashing out at the Congress government, stating, "No crowd control measures. No basic arrangements. Just chaos. While innocent people died, CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar were busy shooting reels and hogging limelight with cricketers. Shame on this photo-op Congress government." The party further alleged "criminal negligence" and stated that "blood is on the hands of [the] Congress government."
The Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has responded to the criticism by ordering a magisterial inquiry into the incident, to be completed within 15 days. Siddaramaiah has also announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased and promised free treatment for the injured. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has apologized for the incident, acknowledging that the crowd was "uncontrollable" and that the government did not expect such a large turnout. He also accused the BJP of politicizing the tragedy.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary reports suggest that a combination of factors contributed to the stampede, including confusion over passes for the event, rumors of free tickets, and sudden rain, which exacerbated the already chaotic situation. The stadium, with a capacity of 35,000, was reportedly overwhelmed by a crowd estimated to be between 200,000 and 300,000 people.
The incident has raised serious questions about crowd management and safety protocols for large public gatherings in India. The Karnataka government has emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
