The city of Bengaluru was gripped by tragedy on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, as a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed the lives of 11 people and injured over 30 others. The incident occurred during a felicitation event planned to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) victory. What started as joyous anticipation quickly turned into chaos, leaving families mourning and authorities scrambling to understand how the situation escalated so rapidly. A timeline of events reveals a series of missteps and miscalculations that culminated in the deadly crush.

2:00 PM - Early Crowd Build-Up: Thousands of exuberant fans began converging on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium hours before the scheduled event. Excitement was palpable as RCB prepared to celebrate its historic IPL title with a public victory parade and felicitation.

3:00 PM - Swelling Crowd and Road Blockage: Even before the arrival of the RCB team, the crowd had swelled significantly, causing major road blockages around the stadium. Despite a visible police deployment, the sheer number of people began to overwhelm the available space.

3:14 PM - Online Pass Announcement: RCB urged fans to obtain "free victory passes online," inadvertently triggering a fresh surge of people towards the stadium. Many interpreted this as a signal to rush to the venue, further intensifying the crowd pressure.

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Gates Overwhelmed: All 13 gates at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium were besieged by scores of people queuing for entry. Initially, passes were issued, but the overwhelming turnout made it impossible to manage the flow. As the stadium reached its full seating capacity, officials closed the gates to prevent further entry, leaving tens of thousands stranded outside.

4:30 PM - Situation Spirals: The situation began to spiral out of control. Metro services at Vidhana Soudha and Cubbon Park were suspended due to the immense crowd pressure. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries arrived at the Assembly, while the stadium gates witnessed unprecedented surges.

4:51 PM - Stampede Erupts: With fans unable to enter and rumors swirling about pass distribution, a stampede broke out near Gate No. 7 of the stadium. As fans tried to force their way in, a deadly crush unfolded. Several people were trampled, and many more sustained injuries in the chaos. False rumors about gate numbers and last-minute changes to access protocols triggered sudden surges. Gates remained shut for long, security grills collapsed, and fans – many of them minors and women – were trampled as they fell.

5:00 PM - Tragedy Unfolds: By 5 PM, it was clear that a tragedy had unfolded. Initial reports confirmed two deaths, but as rescue operations continued, the death toll steadily rose to 11, with over 30 others injured. Ambulances and emergency responders rushed to the scene to provide aid to the injured.

6:30 PM - Team Departs: The RCB team reached the stadium amid loud cheers but departed around 6:30 PM as news of the tragedy spread.

The aftermath of the stampede revealed a scene of devastation. A mound of shoes, sandals, and scattered belongings marked the spot where so many lives were lost or forever altered. Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scenes, with people collapsing in panic and others desperately trying to help those in need.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Karnataka government has ordered a full inquiry into the incident. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed deep sorrow and announced ₹10 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased, promising free treatment for the injured.