Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar broke down [Source: @nabilajamal_/x.com]
The city of Bengaluru was still drenched in red after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL win but joy quickly turned into heartbreak. What should have been a dream day ended in a nightmare near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as a stampede during RCB’s victory parade killed 11 people and left dozens injured.
DK Shivakumar Breaks Down After RCB Parade Stampede
And on Thursday, Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar couldn’t hold back his tears. Facing the media for the first time since the tragedy, Shivakumar choked up while speaking about the lives lost, especially the children.
“It hurts to see the little children… I have seen their pain,” he said, visibly shaken.
The minister admitted they were caught off guard.
“The stadium's capacity is 35,000, but more than 3 lakh people were there... Gates were broken,” Shivakumar told ANI. “We apologise for this incident… We want to know the facts and give a clear message.”
[Source: @Politicx2029/x.com]
The chaos unfolded when lakhs of fans swarmed the area around Chinnaswamy, hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes after RCB finally lifted the IPL trophy in their 18th season. But with no proper crowd control in place, things went south quickly.
DK Shivakumar Slams BJP For Politicising Bengaluru Stampede
While addressing the media, Shivakumar didn’t mince his words for the opposition either.
“Let the opposition do politics on dead bodies,” he said, calling out BJP for politicising the tragedy. “We are very sorry for the incident. We’ll work out a better solution in the future.”
Compensation Announced For Families Of The Deceased
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a separate press conference, announced INR 10 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased. The government has also promised free medical treatment for the injured.
What was meant to be a city-wide celebration turned into a state-wide mourning. The celebrations may have ended with chants and confetti but this tragedy has left behind scars that will take a long time to heal.