From Celebration To Chaos: RCB Victory Parade Turns Deadly, Questions Mount Over Security Lapses

After an 18-year wait, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL victory turned tragic as a stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives. Thousands of jubilant fans had gathered to celebrate, but poor crowd management, lack of clear entry and exit points, and overwhelming numbers led to chaos. The venue, designed to hold 35,000 people, was swarmed by an estimated 2 to 3 lakh, creating an uncontrollable situation. Despite police warnings about weekday crowding, the government went ahead with a sudden victory celebration. Many senior officers were absent, assigned to VIP duties elsewhere, leaving the police understaffed and outnumbered. A delayed police response and a controversial lathi charge added to the chaos. Political leaders traded blame—while the Karnataka CM shifted responsibility to the RCB team, other officials admitted to lapses. The BJP criticized the Congress government for mismanagement and poor coordination. An FIR has been filed under unnatural deaths, but no arrests have been made yet. As the investigation unfolds, the pressing question remains: who is truly responsible for this tragic stampede?