Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 5: Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara is set to hold a crucial meeting with the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, senior police officials, Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), and representatives from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
This follows the tragic stampede near the stadium that claimed 11 lives and injured several others during the victory celebrations of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 win.
Speaking to the media, Parameshwara clarified that neither the Karnataka government nor the Chief Minister’s office had requested RCB or KSCA to organize the celebrations at the stadium. “They organized it themselves, and the government only facilitated it since it was Bengaluru’s team,” he said, expressing deep sorrow over the incident.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the stampede. Parameshwara added, “Let the inquiry report come to the government, and if any lapses are found, action will be taken against those responsible.”
At a press conference, CM Siddaramaiah announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased and assured free medical treatment for the injured. Expressing grief, he stated, “11 people died and 33 were injured in the stampede. This tragedy should not have happened.”
The Chief Minister also addressed the scale of the crowd, noting that while the stadium has a capacity of 35,000, an estimated 2-3 lakh people had gathered, many of whom forced entry by breaking the stadium gates, leading to the deadly stampede.
Siddaramaiah emphasized that the government will not politicize the tragedy and reiterated the 15-day deadline for the magisterial inquiry.
The Karnataka government and cricket associations now face mounting pressure to improve safety and crowd management protocols for future events.