No less than 10 individuals have been killed in a crush outdoors a cricket stadium within the Indian metropolis of Bengaluru, which was internet hosting a victory parade to rejoice the house workforce’s Indian Premier League title win.
1000’s of individuals – younger and previous – lined the streets on Wednesday to welcome the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) who beat the Punjab Kings within the IPL cricket remaining the day earlier than.
“About 10 individuals have died within the stampede on the gates of the Chinnaswamy stadium,” a senior police official informed BBC Hindi.
When the tragedy struck, the gates of the stadium “weren’t even opened, however there have been so many individuals making an attempt to push via a small gate that the stampede occurred,” an official mentioned.
One police official informed the BBC there have been over 200,000 individuals who got here out for the victory parade however they have been solely anticipating half that quantity.
The RCB workforce had arrived by a particular flight on the previous HAL airport to be acquired by Karnataka Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. They have been taken in a procession to the lodge.
This was a precursor for the reception on the steps of the majestic Vidhana Soudha, seat of the state legislature, the place Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and different ministers met the workforce.
The workforce was then scheduled to drive, once more, in a procession to the stadium earlier than the crush occurred.
Previous to the incident, lots of individuals from completely different elements of town had moved in the direction of the stadium on all modes of transport carrying RCB jerseys.
Metro trains have been so packed that a number of individuals – together with this reporter – weren’t capable of enter any compartment. All this whereas passengers contained in the practice and out of doors chanted the workforce’s title in refrain.
Auto rickshaws and taxis didn’t reply to requests from individuals who wished to be dropped anyplace close to the stadium. Those that agreed dropped commuters a number of kilometres away.
After stories of individuals dropping their lives within the crush unfold, individuals began speeding away to metro stations.
Authorities shut down the stations across the stadium as large crowds had gathered on the platforms.
