RCB Victory Stampede: Karnataka Government Distances Itself, Denies Any Direct Involvement

Amid outrage over the stampede that left eleven dead and 47 injured on June 4, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragic incident during the recent RCB victory celebrations in Bengaluru. The minister added that the inquiry process is already underway.

Speaking to the media, Parameshwara detailed the locations where the stampede incidents took place. The tragic crowd crush was reported at multiple entry points of Chinnaswamy Stadium, including Gate numbers 6 and 7, Gates 2 and 8, as well as Gates 16, 17, 18, and 21.

Regarding the casualties, the minister stated that there is no immediate information available about deaths at the spot.

Addressing the crowd estimates, Parameshwara said, "We initially expected around one lakh people, but nearly 8.7 lakh tickets were sold. This is unprecedented - such a massive gathering is historic, and never before has Bengaluru seen this kind of crowd."

When questioned about why the gates were not opened to manage the crowd better, the Home Minister said an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the circumstances and decisions made during the event.

The magisterial inquiry aims to identify the factors leading to the tragedy and hold accountable those responsible for lapses in crowd management during the RCB victory celebrations.

Earlier, the Home Minister visited the stampede site at the stadium. He clarified that the state government had not requested the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) or the Karnataka Cricket Association (KSCA) to organise the victory celebrations at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Dr. Parameshwara said, "We did not ask RCB or KCA to hold the event; they organised it themselves. They brought the team back to Bengaluru, and the government only felt it should support the celebrations since it was the home team. I deeply regret that this unfortunate incident occurred."

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court has taken up a suo motu public interest litigation over the stampede with the hearing slated for 2:30 pm today.