Gautam Gambhir reacted to the incident in a press conference ahead of India’s tour of England 2025.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir reacted to the sad loss of lives during the stampede that happened outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The incident happened as fans struggled to get into the venue where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were celebrating their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy win.
After winning the title after 18 long years, thousands of fans were eager to watch their favorite stars, but the celebration was marred by turmoil and a horrific tragedy that left 11 people dead and over thirty injured.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal disclosed that no IPL officials were present at the gates of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium because the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was unaware of the celebration in Bengaluru. Additionally, Dhumal disclosed that the administrators beneath the stadium were likewise ignorant of the awful event taking on outside the stadium.
On Thursday, the Bengaluru-based franchise expressed deep anguish over the tragic incident. The franchise also announced INR 10 lakhs compensation to families of deceased fans. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) also said it would give INR 5 lakhs to each of the families of the people who died in the stampede around the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
“It is very tragic what happened yesterday”- Gautam Gambhir
Prior to the team’s trip to England for the five-match test series, Gambhir and recently named Indian test captain Shubman Gill spoke during a news conference in Mumbai on Thursday, June 5.
“I was never a believer in road shows. I had the same statement to make even after winning in 2007, we should never have road shows. Maybe in the future we can do something in a stadium. My heart goes out to the families of those who lost their lives.
I think the lives of people are far more important. I will continue to say that, even in the future, I think we can be a little bit aware of not holding these kinds of roadshows, and can probably have it in a closed door, or something like this, in a stadium,” Gambhir said in the press conference.
Following a stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 supporters and injured numerous others during celebrations for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first IPL title on Wednesday, India coach Gautam Gambhir has stated that there is no need for future roadshows.
“It is very tragic what happened yesterday, and my heart goes to the families, the people who’ve lost their loved ones, and I hope in future, nothing like this can happen, because I think we all are responsible, and we all are responsible citizens, and we should take care of all this.
And if we are not ready to hold a roadshow, we shouldn’t have done that. As simple as it can get. I know fans do get excited, everyone gets excited, the fan bases get excited, but nothing can compare to what happened yesterday.
Even when I used to play, I didn’t believe in roadshows. I don’t believe in them today, and I won’t believe in them in the future as well. Winning is important. Celebration is important. But more important than that is the life of any person. So, if we are not prepared or if we can’t handle the crowd in that way, then we might as well not have these roadshows,” Gambhir signed off.
Meanwhile, RCB franchise is named as the primary accused in a formal complaint submitted by the Bengaluru police in connection with the stampede that occurred. The KSCA and co-organizers DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. were identified as the second and third accused respectively.
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