Bengaluru: What should have been an exciting day for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) supporters turned devastating as a stampede outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives on June 4.
Among them was Devi, a young techie from Tamil Nadu and an ardent RCB fan, who left her office mid-shift to catch a glimpse of her favourite team, a decision that proved fatal.
'She Never Returned'
According to The Times of India, Devi had secured permission for a few hours off from work around 2:30 PM. A fan of Virat Kohli, she was determined to attend the victory celebrations, even after passes had reportedly sold out. Hoping to get access at the venue, she left behind her laptop and bag at her workstation and messaged a friend, “I’m on my way.” It would be her last.
“Her laptop is still on the table, her bag is here, but she is not there,” one of her stunned colleagues told TOI, adding that the team only found out about her death after receiving a call from a hospital. The devastating news is yet to be conveyed to her parents, for whom she was reportedly the only child.
Chaos at Gates, Crushed Expectations
Postgraduate student Prashant Shetty, another RCB supporter, recounted the mayhem and told TOI, “We were invited. I bought tickets but couldn’t even enter. Then the police blocked roads and started lathi-charging. We came to celebrate and left heartbroken and bruised.”
Authorities, underestimated the crowd size. With tickets sold out in no time, fans, both with and without passes, converged at gates 10, 12, and 13. The surge peaked around 3:30 PM, forcing officials to shut the gates and use mild force as the crowd swelled further, especially with more people arriving from Cubbon Park metro.
The Karnataka government has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased, while 33 injured fans continue to receive treatment in hospitals.
