Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Chinnaswamy Stadium tragedy in which 11 people were killed and 33 others sustained injuries after a stampede broke out during the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL victory celebrations.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said that the stadium can accommodate only 35,000 people, but 2-3 lakh fans of the RCB gathered to celebrate the team’s victory in the IPL final against Punjab Kings.

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“I don’t want to defend this incident. Our government will not do politics on this. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry and given 15 days’ time. People even broke the gates of the stadium. There was a stampede. No one expected such a huge crowd. The stadium has a capacity of only 35,000 people, but 2-3 lakh people came,” the Karnataka CM said.

Expressing his deep sorrow over the incident, Siddaramaiah also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the deceased and free treatment to the injured.

Amid the BJP’s allegations of inadequate arrangements, the chief minister claimed that the entire police force of Bengaluru city was deployed.

“The entire police force available in Bengaluru city was deployed. Of course, this incident should not have happened. We are with the victims,” he stated.

A huge crowd of RCB fans had thronged the stadium to participate in the team’s victory celebrations. Thousands of fans packed the stadium, and many more remained outside, giving police a hard time to control the crowd.

Unverified visuals of the stampede have gone viral on social media. In one such footage, some people are seen lying on the ground, having fallen in the chaos outside the stadium. A fan wearing an RCB jersey is seen stepping over them in a desperate bid to escape, while some were seen trying to pull out those who fell.

The Karnataka unit of the BJP blamed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for the tragedy. It alleged a lack of crowd control measures and basic facilities at the venue. Calling the incident criminal negligence, the saffron party also slammed the Karnataka government for indulging in “photo-op” and hoggling limelight with the cricketers.

“While innocent people died, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar were busy shooting reels and hogging limelight with cricketers. Shame on this photo-op Congress government. This is criminal negligence. Blood is on the hands of Congress govt,” the Opposition party added.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the kin of the deceased. Terming the incident “heartrending”, Modi said his thoughts were with “all those who have lost their loved ones”.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed grief over the deaths of RCB fans. He also called on the state government and authorities to review and strengthen safety protocols for such events to prevent any recurrence of such a tragedy.

“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…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. 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,” he said.

The Karnataka government had earlier cancelled the RCB victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the Chinnaswamy Stadium due to security concerns.