BCCI reacts to RCB victory parade stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia expressed sorrow over the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed the lives of at least four fans, calling it a deeply “unfortunate” incident that overshadowed Royal Challengers Bangalore’s historic IPL triumph. He emphasized that the post-win celebrations should have been organized with better planning and crowd control measures.

 

The atmosphere in Bengaluru turned grim shortly after the city had erupted in celebration, with thousands of RCB supporters gathering outside the stadium to mark the franchise’s first IPL title in 18 years. The overwhelming turnout created chaos, which local law enforcement struggled to manage, leading to a stampede. 

 

  'Somewhere along the line, there were lapses'  

“This is truly unfortunate and highlights the downside of such overwhelming popularity,” Saikia told PTI. “There is no doubt that fans are passionate about their cricketers, but the organizers needed to be more prepared. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who lost their lives, and I wish a swift recovery to the injured.”

 

He noted that managing a public event of this scale requires meticulous planning, with safety and security as top priorities. “Somewhere along the line, there were lapses. After such a historic IPL season, it’s disappointing to see such an anti-climactic turn of events,” he added.

 

Saikia contrasted the incident with previous IPL victory parades, such as KKR’s celebrations in Kolkata last year, where no major issues were reported. He also referenced the huge crowd that gathered in Mumbai after India’s T20 World Cup win in Barbados, highlighting the effectiveness of coordinated efforts between police and local authorities in managing large-scale events.

 

“There was a massive turnout in Mumbai as well after the World Cup win, but nothing went wrong. It was a result of seamless coordination between law enforcement and organizers,” Saikia explained. “Even during the IPL final in Ahmedabad, we had over 1.2 lakh fans at the venue. The BCCI worked closely with the district administration and security agencies to ensure everything ran smoothly.”

 

He concluded by expressing hope that no further unfortunate incidents would occur in connection with the celebrations.