Bengaluru stampede: DCM defends police, says crowd was too large to control

Following the tragic stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed ten lives, including that of a 14-year-old girl, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) has issued a statement defending the police and the state government from blame.

Also Read: Chaos mars RCB celebration in Bengaluru: One dead, over 20 injured in stampede

Speaking to the media, the DCM said, “The police are not at fault. The government is not at fault either. Everyone worked responsibly.” He added that the situation spiraled out of control due to an unexpectedly large turnout of fans who gathered to catch a glimpse of the RCB players during the victory celebrations.

“There were far more people than anticipated. That made it very difficult to control the situation,” he said, acknowledging that crowd management became nearly impossible as numbers kept swelling outside the stadium.

Despite the DCM’s defense, the incident has sparked widespread outrage, with questions being raised about the lack of adequate planning and crowd control measures for such a major public event. Critics argue that the authorities failed to anticipate the turnout and did not enforce entry restrictions effectively.

With 27 people hospitalized and ten dead, the government now faces intense scrutiny over its preparedness and the overall safety arrangements made for the RCB celebration, which has ended in a somber tragedy.