Bengaluru
AP
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At least 11 people have been killed and more than 30 have been injured after crowds were crushed outside a cricket stadium in Karnataka, South India, authorities said.
The crash happened when tens of thousands of cricket fans gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru city to celebrate the winner of the Indian Premier League, the world’s most popular T20 cricket tournament.
Karnataka Prime Minister Siddharamaia said the crowds had tried to take part in the celebration by destroying one of the stadium’s gates.
Eleven people have been killed and 33 others have been injured, adding that Siddharamaiah has only used one name, most of the injured are stable and are being treated at the hospital.
“At the time of the celebration, this unfortunate event should not happen. We are saddened by this,” he told reporters. “No one expected this crowd.”
Cricket fans came out on Tuesday to celebrate Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League title victory. The team gave fans a free pass for the event through the website, urging them to follow guidelines set by police and authorities.
The statement’s team said it was “deeply suffering.”
Local TV news channels saw some people reach the ground, taking paramedics to the ambulances, and celebrations continued in the stadium.
Karnataka’s deputy prime minister, Dk Shivakumar, told reporters, “The crowd is very out of control.”
The Indian Cricket Committee, which organizes the IPL, issues a statement in a statement called “Unhappiness.”
“This is the negative aspect of popularity. People are obsessed with cricketers. The organizers should have planned it better,” said Devajit Saikia of BCCI.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “heart-grabbing” and said his thoughts were “with all those who have lost their loved ones.”
Stampedes have happened before in India, where large crowds gather. In January, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to bathe in the sacred river during the Mahakumbh Festival, the world’s largest religious gathering.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
