Bengaluru Stampede: Gate 7 of Chinnaswamy Stadium Was the Epicentre After 'Free Pass' Rumours Went Viral

Bengaluru Stampede: A tragic stampede broke out at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening after rumours of free passes being distributed at Gate 7 went viral on social media. The crowd surge turned the area into a panic zone, leaving several injured and raising serious concerns about crowd control during public events.

Thousands had gathered outside the stadium to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) historic first IPL title win. The event, meant to be a moment of joy, descended into chaos around 5:30 PM when unverified information spread that free entry passes were being handed out at Gate 7.

Gate 7 Became the Epicentre of the Stampede

Gate 7, which is situated near the stadium's main entry point and offers a clear view of players' arrival, quickly became overcrowded. Eyewitnesses reported a mad scramble as people pushed and shoved, desperate to enter the stadium. In the rush, many were trampled and several sustained injuries.

"There was no space to move. People were falling and shouting for help. It was terrifying," said Achimanya, a resident of Rajajinagar who was caught in the crowd.

Sudden Rain Made Things Worse

Adding to the chaos, sudden rain around 5:30 PM made the ground slippery, leading to more people losing their balance. The stadium, which has 13 gates and 21 stands, saw the heaviest crowd concentration at gates 5, 6, 7, 19, and 20. However, Gate 7 reported the maximum injuries and casualties.

Poor Crowd Management Under Fire

The incident has sparked widespread criticism of the Bengaluru Police and event organisers. Many accused the authorities of failing to implement basic crowd control measures. "Even the police looked helpless. I saw an ambulance packed with injured people. I was lucky to escape," said Avinash S., a 31-year-old resident of RR Nagar.

Sinchana N., 25, who arrived at the venue a bit later, added: "There was no proper direction or assistance."

Police Lathicharge, Political Blame Game Begins

As emergency services struggled to reach the site, the police reportedly carried out a lathicharge near Cubbon Park Circle around 6:30 PM to disperse the crowd and make way for ambulances. The situation was finally brought under control after several minutes of tension.

The incident has led to a political war of words. The BJP slammed the ruling Congress government for poor planning and lack of preparedness. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah compared the scene to a 'Kumbh Mela', a remark that invited further backlash from the opposition.