Children died, no one can bear this loss: DK Shivakumar breaks down on camera after B'luru stampede
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar broke down on camera while addressing the media on the tragic stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that claimed eleven lives and left several others injured.
A visibly shaken Shivakumar said the victims included children as young as 15, and the loss was unbearable. “I’ve seen with my eyes at least ten people who passed away. No family can digest this loss,” he said, choking back tears.
Recounting the events leading up to the tragedy, Shivakumar explained how rapidly the situation escalated. He revealed that the Police Commissioner urgently asked him to wind up the event within ten minutes due to rising concerns. “He told me that 1–2 lives have been lost. Rush the event, finish it in 10 minutes,” Shivakumar said.
Reacting to criticism from the opposition, Shivakumar urged for empathy during the tragedy. “Let the opposition do politics on dead bodies. I will list how many dead bodies they have done politics on. But it hurts to see the little children. I have seen their pain," he stated.
On Wednesday, he acknowledged that the crowd was far larger than expected, stating, “The stadium has a capacity of 35,000, but over three lakh people were present. We never anticipated such a massive turnout.” He also apologised for the failure in crowd control, adding, “This incident happened where the gates were broken. We fully apologise for this.”
Meanwhile, State Home Minister G. Parameshwara announced that the Karnataka government will soon introduce a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mega events, meetings, and celebrations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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Smriti Mandhana named BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Star batter Smriti Mandhana, who played a pivotal role in India's historic 2025 Women's World Cup triumph, was named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025 at a glittering function here on Monday.
Chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh won the Emerging Player of the Year award, for her historic FIDE Women's World Cup triumph at just 20.
Preethi Pal was named the Para-Sportswoman of the Year, for winning two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in track and field, while Anjali Bhagwat was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her pioneering career as India's first woman shooter to reach an Olympic final and her trailblazing success on the world stage.
Mandhana, who is currently touring Australia with the Indian team for multi-format bilateral assignments, said in a video message: "Thank you BBC for giving me the awardfor Best Sportswoman of the Year. 2025 was a special year for women's cricket, especiallytowards the end we had a World Cup and I'm happy I could contribute and help India win matches.".
At 29, the left-handed batter is already among the game's greats, with the second-highest number of centuries in women's One Day Internationals and ranking third in total runsscored among current players worldwide.
Hailing from Sangli city in Maharashtra, the affable Mandhana was inspired by her father and brother, both of whom played cricket at the district level.
In September last year, she made a 50-ball hundred against Australia – the fastest 50 over international ton (men and women) by an Indian in the format, breaking Virat Kohli's record.
The award winners were decided by a distinguished grand jury comprising Leander Paes, Deepa Malik, and Anju Bobby George.
Praising the athletes' achievements CEO of BBC News, Jonathan Munro said: "Congratulations to this year's winners who showcase the very best in sporting excellence. The BBC World Service is committed to bringing such stories of human endeavour and outstanding success to audiences across India and around the world.".
Additionally, the ceremony also celebrated a wide spectrum of talent and impact, recognizing star performers and changemakers for redefining the landscape of Indian sport.
BBC Star Performers of the Year 202.
• Indian Women's Cricket Team: for their historic World Cup victory.
• Ekta Bhyan, Deepthi Jeevanji and Preethi Pal: for their trailblazing performances at the World Para Athletics Championship.
• Indian Women's Cricket Team for the Blind: for their inspiring World Cup victory.
• Indian Women's Kabaddi Team: for their smashing victory in World Cup.
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BBC Changemakers of the Year 202.
• Indian Women's Ice Hockey Team: for breaking barriers in a non-traditional sport.
• Rajbir Kaur: Indian field hockey player and former captain of the women’s national team.
• Savita Punia: Indian field hockey player and current member of the national team.
• Paani Devi: recognised for her impactful contribution to grassroots sport.
