Kharge, Rahul Gandhi mourn victims of Bengaluru stampede

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed sadness on Wednesday over a tragic stampede in Bengaluru during the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory in the IPL and urged the state government to strengthen safety protocols to avoid such incidents in the future.

At least 11 people have died in the incident, while several have been injured, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.

"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 in a post on X.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB's IPL victory celebrations is heartbreaking.

"My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. Wishing a swift and full recovery to all those injured.

"In this hour of grief, I stand with the people of Bengaluru. The Karnataka government must provide all possible support and relief to the affected families," Gandhi said in a post on X.

"This tragedy is a painful reminder: no celebration is worth a human life. Every safety protocol for public events must be reviewed and strictly enforced -- lives must always come first," the former Congress president said.

Chaotic celebrations turned into a full-blown tragedy as at least 11 people lost their lives and several others were left injured outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, trying to join a party inside to honour RCB's IPL triumph.

However, the felicitation of the players went ahead nonetheless as the stadium was packed to the rafters despite the chaos.

"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 by the Karnataka government," Kharge said in his post.

"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," the Congress chief added.

Thousands had converged outside the venue as police struggled to take control of the situation, resorting to mild use of force as well, as people desperate to get into the stadium were seen pressed against the entrance gate.

According to eyewitnesses, fans thronged the venue of felicitation. Visuals showed police shifting the injured and those who fell unconscious to nearby hospitals in ambulances.