Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a stampede near Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru victory event. Following the incident, he immediately called for strict adherence to security measures and protocols to prevent such tragedies in the future
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. File Photo.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Following the incident, Kharge, in a post on his social media platform X, called on authorities to immediately strengthen safety protocols for such events to prevent any future tragedies.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic stampede in Bengaluru during the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2025 victory. The loss of precious lives and the injuries sustained by many in this unfortunate incident are profoundly distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured," Kharge said.
He further emphasised that the Congress Party stands in solidarity with the people of Bengaluru and commits to supporting all efforts to provide relief, medical help, and assistance to the affected families, along with the Karnataka government.
"The state government and relevant authorities must immediately review and strengthen safety protocols for such events to prevent any recurrence of such a tragedy. The joy of victory should never come at the cost of lives," Kharge asserted.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar appealed to the public to remain calm and not panic after the stampede that occurred during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) celebration event, where a massive crowd was gathered outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He spoke to the Police Commissioner and other officials to ensure that the situation was under control. It’s worth noting that the Karnataka Deputy CM will also be visiting the hospital later to assess the situation.
In the meantime, Karnataka Legislative Council member BK Hariprasad said that 11 people, including a woman, died in the stampede during the event.
"The incident in which more than 11 people, including women, died in a stampede during the RCB cricket team's victory parade in Bengaluru is extremely shocking and regrettable. The condition of some of the injured in the stampede is serious, and the government should take immediate action to provide them with appropriate treatment. My condolences to the deceased and my condolences to their families," Hariprasad said on X.
According to ANI, opposition parties in the state, including the Janata Dal (Secular), have squarely blamed the Congress-led state government for what they describe as a complete failure of planning and a lack of public safety measures.
Union Minister of Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy stated that the primary reason for this "massive tragedy is the lack of proper planning and complete failure to take precautionary measures".
Kumaraswamy, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, said the state's Congress government must take full responsibility for the disaster, reported ANI.
"The tragic incident of a stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB victory celebrations, resulting in the unfortunate death of people, has left me deeply shocked. It is extremely painful to see innocent lives lost even before the celebrations could begin," he said.
"The primary reason for this massive tragedy is the lack of proper planning and complete failure to take precautionary measures. The state government, led by @INCKarnataka, must take full responsibility for this disaster. Along with ensuring the injured receive the best possible treatment, the government must immediately reach out to support the families of the deceased," he added.
(With inputs from ANI)
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