Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed deep regret over the tragic stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025, which claimed 11 lives and injured 71 others during celebrations for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team’s IPL victory. Addressing the Legislative Assembly, he described the incident as a deeply disturbing event that has left him in sorrow, emphasizing that it was unprecedented in his 42-year political career.

The stampede, attributed to “mass hysteria” outside the stadium, prompted strong criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which demanded the resignation of Siddaramaiah and senior cabinet members. The opposition accused the government of negligence, with BJP MLA Suresh Kumar labeling it an “abettor” of the tragedy. In response, Siddaramaiah rejected the resignation calls, pointing out that 20 stampedes had occurred in BJP-ruled states over the past decade, including the 2008 Naina Devi temple stampede in Himachal Pradesh (162 deaths) and the 2022 Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat. He questioned why no BJP leaders resigned or apologized for those incidents.

Siddaramaiah clarified that he was unaware of the fatalities until 5:30 pm on the day of the incident, initially informed of only one death by Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda. He later visited the hospital, expressing grief over the loss of young lives aged 13 to 29. “Who knows what they might have achieved in life? I am pained by their loss,” he said, reiterating his regret.

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The Chief Minister outlined the government’s response, which included suspending five police officers, including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, for lapses in crowd management. A magisterial probe by the Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner and a judicial inquiry led by retired Justice John Michael Cunha were completed in July. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has prepared a chargesheet, pending court approval, and four representatives of the event organizers have been arrested, though they are now out on bail.

Addressing accusations of insensitivity for visiting a restaurant on the day of the tragedy, Siddaramaiah explained that he was with his grandson, who had arrived from London, and was unaware of the full extent of the incident at the time. He also highlighted the public’s emotional connection to RCB, noting that despite having few Karnataka players, the team is seen as a source of state pride.

Siddaramaiah drew comparisons to global stampede incidents, such as those in Sheffield, England, and a football stadium in Indonesia, to underline that such tragedies are not unique. He accused the BJP of politicizing the tragedy and referenced incidents under their rule, such as the 2022 Gujarat Titans’ IPL victory celebrations during Covid and the 2021 Chamarajanagar oxygen shortage deaths, questioning why no resignations were offered then.

Urging politicians to avoid exploiting tragedies for political gain, Siddaramaiah left it to the people of Karnataka to judge his government’s accountability. The opposition, dissatisfied with his response, staged a walkout from the Assembly.

The High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident, and further legal proceedings are awaited as the state grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event.

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