At least 11 people dead after stampede outside cricket stadium in India

At least 11 people are dead and more than 30 injured in a stampede on Wednesday outside a cricket stadium in southern India’s Karnataka state, officials said.

The incident happened as thousands of cricket fans gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru city to celebrate the winners of the Indian Premier League, which is the world’s most popular T20 cricket tournament.

Karnataka state’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who uses only one name, said the crowd tried to break one of the stadium’s gates and enter to take part in celebrations.

Eleven people were killed and 33 others were injured, he said, adding that most of the injured were stable and receiving treatment in hospitals.

“At a time of celebration, this unfortunate event should not have happened. We are saddened by this,” he told reporters.

“No one expected this crowd.”

Local TV news channels showed visuals of police shifting the injured people and those who fell unconscious to ambulances.

DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister of Karnataka state, told reporters that “the crowd was very uncontrollable”.

The event was being held to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League title win on Tuesday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organises the IPL, in a statement called the incident “unfortunate”.

“This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “heartrending” and said his “thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones”.