In what should have been a scene of absolute joy, a terrible tragedy unfolded which caused eleven cricket fans to lose their lives and dozens more to be injured.
An estimated 300,000 people had lined the streets on the approach to and around the Chinnaswamy Stadium of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to welcome their heroes home, after they beat the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) had organised a special ceremony inside the stadium for the RCB squad, following their victory, but a stampede developed causing a devastating crush.
It seems that the main gates of the stadium had not been opened, so the vast crowd were attempting to gain entry through a single much smaller gate.
Eyewitnesses have been telling how fans were scaling stadium walls and fences in sheer desperation to catch a glimpse of the players, including Indian legend Virat Kohli who had top scored in the match.
Buoyant winning team given special treatment
A special flight had been arranged to bring the RCB team back to Bengaluru, from where they were taken in a procession to a hotel gathering. From there the squad were given 5-star treatment, as they arrived at the majestic Vidhana Soudha, seat of the state legislature.
It was from here that the players were then driven to the stadium, past cheering and waving fans. Images captured devoted supporters climbing trees for a better view.
Pilgrimage to the ground
Prior to the incident there were throngs of people from every side of the city, all headed towards the stadium, using every conceivable mode of transport to get there.
Metro trains got so packed that many failed to even enter a compartment, as a frenzy built up with the team’s name chanted relentlessly.
As roads and walkways become more and more packed, rickshaws and taxis began dropping customers further and further away from the desired destination, unable to negotiate the crowded environment.
The team had given away free passes for the event through its website, but this was not done in any coordinated manner and was a recipe for chaotic scenes.
