IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal clarified that while the stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory celebration in Bengaluru was tragic, the event was not organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The city’s celebratory mood turned somber just 24 hours after RCB ended their 18-year wait for an IPL title. Lakhs of fans swarmed the stadium, overwhelming security and triggering chaos, as a stampede outside the venue claimed at least 11 lives and left nearly 50 injured. However, despite the tragedy, the felicitation event continued inside a packed stadium.
“Whatever inquiry that needs to be done, the concerned authorities will do that. It was not a BCCI event. It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones,” Dhumal told India Today.
Meanwhile, the IPL chairman said as soon as he was made aware of the tragedy unfolding outside the stadium, he instructed the organisers to wrap up the proceedings.
“I am not even aware whether there was a planned event or unplanned event. Whether fans were supposed to come or they came on their own. When I spoke to the RCB officials, there was so much of noise inside the stadium they probably did not know what was happening outside. When I told them about it, they assured me they would wind up the event.
Dhumal also pointed to previous instances where the league prioritised crowd safety. “We curtailed a game in Dharamsala (during IPL), we made sure everyone was evacuated safely. Not even person was hurt there,” he said.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia termed the Bengaluru stampede “very unfortunate” and said that the celebrations following RCB’s IPL triumph should have been better planned.
“It is very unfortunate. This is the negative side of popularity – people are crazy about their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better. My deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” Saikia told PTI.
He stressed the importance of proper safety protocols for large-scale public events involving sportspersons. “When one organises a victory celebration of this magnitude, proper precautions, safety and security measures need to be in place. There have clearly been some lapses. After such a glorious ending to the IPL, this has turned into an anti-climax,” he said.
Drawing comparisons, Saikia pointed to past celebrations that were conducted without incident. “There have been IPL celebrations before – like in Kolkata last year when KKR won – and nothing happened there,” he noted.
He also cited the massive turnout in Mumbai after India’s T20 World Cup victory in Barbados. “It was the same when we won the T20 World Cup. There was a sea of people in Mumbai, but nothing went wrong. The police and local authorities worked in tandem to ensure smooth conduct. I hope nothing more untoward happens,” he added.
