The incident at Chinnaswamy Stadium during Bengaluru's victory celebration in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is extremely serious and thought-provoking. Despite the stadium’s official capacity being 35,000, more than a lakh people gathered there. Tickets for the victory celebration were sold out in no time. At that very moment, the Chinnaswamy Stadium management should have realized the massive public enthusiasm, and both the stadium authorities and the state administration should have prepared crowd management strategies accordingly. By afternoon, the unexpected crowd at gates 10, 12, and 13 of the stadium had increased significantly, and due to inadequate police presence, the police found themselves overwhelmed. The IPL, which has created a unique global identity through cricket-based entertainment, has generated a turnover of around ₹14,000 crore. With a brand value of $21 billion, the IPL is no longer seen just as a means of entertainment. People gather in massive numbers to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. Given the popularity of the IPL, local authorities should have arranged for proper crowd control.The stampede that occurred in the frenzy of victory and the unfortunate loss of lives has cast a shadow over Bengaluru’s triumph.
