Bengaluru: RCB victory celebration saw metro ridership soaring to record 9.66 lakh

Bengaluru Metro recorded its highest-ever single-day ridership on June 4, as tens of thousands of fans flooded the city to witness Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebration at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Also read: Bengaluru stampede: authorities register UDR, face criticism over event management

The euphoria surrounding RCB's maiden IPL title win triggered a massive rush, with 9,66,732 passengers using the metro, surpassing all previous records. According to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), Line 1 saw 4,78,334 passengers, Line 2 recorded 2,84,674, and 2,03,724 commuters used the Majestic interchange.

Crowds began pouring in early in the day after it was announced that the RCB team would make a victory appearance at the stadium. Despite hosting multiple IPL matches previously, the city had never seen such a surge in metro usage.

However, the celebrations turned tragic. In the overcrowded scenes near the stadium, a stampede broke out, claiming 11 lives and injuring several others. The situation spiraled out of control as fans jostled for space in the narrow access roads leading to the stadium.

Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident and appealed for calm, even as fans continue to express grief and frustration over inadequate crowd management.

The city witnessed both triumph and tragedy in a matter of hours — a historic victory marred by a heartbreaking loss of life.