‘Two died before my eyes’: Chilling eyewitness account opens debate on stampede tragedy
Bengaluru: As Karnataka celebrated Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first IPL victory in 18 years, a joyous occasion turned into tragedy when a stampede broke out at the celebratory event organised at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, claiming at least 11 lives and leaving several injured.
Thousands of fans had gathered at the venue to cheer the team, but overcrowding and poor crowd management led to a deadly rush. Among the victims were fans from both Karnataka and other states.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, Chetan from Mysuru, who survived the incident, said, “Two people died right in front of me. Women were in great distress. Someone stepped over my shoulder – it felt like a near-death experience. There was no police or stadium staff to help us.”
Chinmay from Nanjangud said the incident occurred around 3:30 pm. “Only four gates were open for thousands. Many couldn’t even enter the stadium and were crushed outside. Ambulances took over two hours to arrive,” he added.
The grandfather of Divyanshi, a 13-year-old girl who died in the stampede, said the family had just reached the venue when they were informed to rush to Bowring Hospital – “We were told Dimple didn’t make it,” he said, devastated.
Many of the injured were women. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos near Gates 18 and 19, with barricades trampled and a young woman bleeding from her nose shouting for help.
The majority of the deceased were from economically weaker sections. Several families are yet to trace their loved ones. Fans are demanding government jobs for the families of the deceased and free treatment for the injured.
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Delhi: Passengers urged to reach stations, airport early amid heightened security
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New Delhi (PTI): In view of heightened security arrangements across the national capital, the Delhi Police had issued an advisory urging passengers to reach railway stations, metro stations, and the airport well in advance of their scheduled departures to avoid inconvenience, an official said on Thursday.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Transport Range) Milind Dumbre said that an advisory on Wednesday has been issued to ensure smooth security checks and facilitate timely boarding amid intensified security measures in and around major transport hubs of the city.
"Passengers are advised to reach the railway stations at least one hour before the scheduled departure of their trains, metro stations at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure, and the airport at least three hours prior to their scheduled flights," Joint CP Dumbre said.
He added that the enhanced security deployment and thorough screening procedures have been put in place as part of precautionary measures.
"Security teams are conducting detailed checks of passengers, luggage, and vehicles entering these facilities. We urge all travellers to cooperate with the police and security personnel to ensure safety and smooth operations," he said.
Passengers' cooperation is solicited to maintain safety and ensure seamless travel arrangements, the Joint Commissioner added.
