RCB's Celebration Tragedy: A Community Rallies for Victims

A tragic incident marred the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden IPL title win on Wednesday, leading to the death of 11 fans and injuries to 47 others due to a crowd surge at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The franchise has pledged one million Indian rupees ($11,654) to each family of the deceased and launched RCB Cares, a support fund for the injured. The disaster unfolded as throngs of fans without passes attempted to push through gates or climb trees and walls for a better view.

Karnataka State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that medical costs for all injured, treated in either government or private hospitals, will be covered by the state government. The incident highlighted the challenges of managing massive crowds at events, as the stadium was overwhelmed by an influx far exceeding its 35,000-person capacity.

(With inputs from agencies.)