In the wake of the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed the lives of eleven people, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has expressed deep sorrow and taken responsibility for the incident. The stampede occurred as thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

"Entire state was watching. We are very sorry," Shivakumar stated, acknowledging the immense grief and shock that has gripped the state. He emphasized the unexpected nature of the tragedy, saying, "Can't express the pain that I am suffering. Never expected this to happen."

The Deputy Chief Minister's initial response came shortly after the incident, where he admitted that the government had underestimated the size of the crowd. While the stadium has a capacity of 35,000, it is estimated that over 300,000 people thronged the area, leading to a breakdown in crowd control. "This should not have happened, and we never expected such a big crowd... We apologise for this incident," Shivakumar said.

Visibly emotional, Shivakumar addressed the media on Thursday, where he broke down while recounting the events and the impact on the victims' families. "I am worried about the children, those small children, I saw they were 15 years old. I've seen with my eyes at least 10 people who died. No family can digest this loss," he said, highlighting the devastating impact on the families of the deceased, many of whom were young fans.

Shivakumar also recounted how he was alerted to the severity of the situation during the RCB felicitation event at the stadium. "The Police Commissioner told me to wrap the event in 10 minutes. I rushed the event. He told me that 1-2 lives have lost (their lives), rush the event, finish the event in 10 minutes," he explained, indicating the urgency conveyed to him by officials on the ground.

Despite the apology and expression of grief, Shivakumar has faced criticism for attending the RCB event while the tragedy unfolded outside. He has also been accused of government mismanagement. In response, Shivakumar downplayed the accusations and urged against politicizing the issue. "We must learn an administrative lesson, let the opposition do politics on dead bodies," he stated, adding, "I will list how many dead bodies they have done politics on. But it hurts to see the little children. I have seen their pain."

The Karnataka government has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh to the families of those killed in the stampede and has pledged to provide free medical care for the injured. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, with a report expected within 15 days. The government has also postponed all official events scheduled for Friday, except for the cabinet meeting, as a mark of respect for the victims.