New Delhi: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia blamed poor management for the tragic stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that led to the death of 11 fans. The celebrations following RCB’s historic Indian Premier League (IPL) took a dark turn on Wednesday as a tragic stampede turned the celebratory mood sombre.
Lakhs of fans gathered outside the stadium to celebrate the landmark title win, but the police could not control the crowd, leading to chaos.
The stampede led to the death of at least 11 fans and injured several others, and Saikia termed the incident as “unfortunate”.
“It is very unfortunate. This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better. My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. I wish early recovery of the injured,” Saikia told PTI.
Saikia blames organisers for poor management
Saikia blamed the organisers for not taking proper precautions, safety and security measures while managing an event of this magnitude.
“When one organises a victory celebration of this magnitude, proper precautions, safety and security measures need to be taken. There have been some lapses somewhere.
“After such a glorious ending to the IPL, this has been an anticlimax. There have been IPL celebrations in the past as well, like in Kolkata last year when KKR won, but nothing happened there.”
Saikia cited the example of the celebrations in Mumbai after India’s T20 World Cup victory in Barbados.
“Same was the case when we won the T20 World Cup. There was a sea of humanity in Mumbai but nothing happened. Police and local authorities worked in tandem to ensure smooth conduct. I hope nothing more untoward happens.
“Even yesterday in Ahmedabad, during the IPL final, there were 120,000 people at the stadium but BCCI has a dedicated team which has done elaborate planning in coordination with local district administration and law enforcing authorities to ensure that safety and security of the spectators,” Saikia added.
Despite the horrific situation outside the stadium, the show went on inside Chinnaswamy as players delivered speeches to congratulate each other and the fans amid a celebratory atmosphere.
Meanwhile, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal also reacted to the incident and told PTI that he instructed the organisers to wrap up the proceedings as soon as he found out about the incident.
“Whatever inquiry that needs to be done, the concerned authorities will do that. It was not a BCCI event. It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones,” Dhumal said.
The tragic incident occurred after Rajat Patidar-led RCB landed in Bengaluru in the afternoon after ending an 18-year IPL curse on Tuesday after defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in the IPL final at Ahmedabad.
At least 11 people died in a tragic stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru as celebratory mood following RCB’s historic IPL win turned somber. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
