Too young to die: All 11 victims of Bengaluru stampede aged under 40, youngest was just 13

All the victims of the stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium were under the age of 40, with the youngest being just 13 years old. The tragedy claimed the lives of three teenagers and six individuals in their twenties.

Most of the victims had come with friends to celebrate Royal Challengers Bangalore’s historic IPL win after an 18-year wait. While many were from Bengaluru, some had travelled from other districts to join the celebrations. What began as a jubilant occasion turned into a deadly stampede, as the massive crowd overwhelmed the available security arrangements. Eleven people lost their lives and 47 others were injured.

Identities of victims

The victims have been identified as Divyanshi (13), Doresha (32), Bhoomik (20), Sahana (25), Akshata (27), Manoj (33), Shravan (20), Devi (29), Shivalinga (17), Chinmayi (19), and Prajwal (20).

According to officials, poor planning, last-minute decisions, and an unexpected surge of fans contributed to the tragedy. Questions are being raised over the state government’s decision to organise a formal reception for the team at the Vidhana Soudha, attended by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. With VIPs gathered at the Assembly complex, a large number of security personnel had to be deployed there, leaving a reduced force to manage the enormous crowd outside the stadium. While the stadium can accommodate around 35,000 people, more than 3 lakh turned up.

The RCB parade was denied police permission

Bengaluru Police had reportedly denied permission for a victory parade, citing significant security concerns. Despite this, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and event organisers went ahead. At around 3:14 pm, Royal Challengers Bangalore officially announced the parade and the availability of free passes, sparking a massive influx of fans to the stadium. Confusion over entry procedures and the use of a ‘first come, first served’ basis created panic. Fans climbed gates, toppled barricades, and surged forward, leading to people being trampled after falling in the crowd.

What CM Siddaramaiah said

In the aftermath, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced financial compensation for the families of those who died and free medical care for the injured. Addressing a press conference, he said, “Such incidents have happened in many places. I’m not going to justify this by drawing comparisons. In the Kumbh Mela, 50–60 people died, but I didn’t criticise it. If Congress does, that’s a separate matter. Did I or the Karnataka government criticise?"

The comment drew strong criticism from senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi. “You cannot escape responsibility by drawing such comparisons,” he said. “The Kumbh and this are not comparable. When police denied permission, why did the event go ahead? After the deaths, why was the celebration continued? Why did the Deputy Chief Minister go to receive the team? They were busy taking selfies while people were dying. No one was taking selfies during the Kumbh tragedy.”

Calling for accountability, Joshi demanded a judicial inquiry and said the state government must respond. “This is completely unacceptable and must be condemned.”