B'luru: Utter chaos seen at Cubbon Park metro as RCB fans overwhelmed station during IPL event

A near-tragic situation unfolded at Cubbon Park Metro Station yesterday as an overwhelming number of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans thronged the metro system to catch a glimpse of their victorious team at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

RCB's historic IPL trophy win led to jubilant celebrations across the city. When word spread that the team would appear at the stadium, thousands of enthusiastic fans made their way to the venue—many via Namma Metro. Metro authorities recorded an all-time high ridership of over 9 lakh passengers on the day.

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However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control. Videos circulating on social media show fans jumping over barricades, entering metro premises without tickets, tokens, or NCMC cards. The crowd's frenzied movement resembled scenes from a stampede, triggering panic and chaos.

Metro officials and security staff were unable to manage the surge. At Cubbon Park station in particular, crowd control broke down completely, with people climbing over railings and rushing onto platforms. Eyewitnesses likened the scene to the tragic stampede incident previously witnessed at Chinnaswamy grounds.

Although no casualties were reported, the incident highlighted serious gaps in crowd management and metro preparedness during high-footfall events. Authorities are reviewing footage and are expected to introduce stricter crowd control measures for future occasions involving large public gatherings.

RCB’s long-awaited victory, while a moment of pride, nearly turned into a disaster for Bengaluru’s metro system.