Gautam Gambhir slams roadshow culture after fatal Bengaluru stampede

India`s head coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday delivered a strong rebuke over the handling of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations, which tragically ended in the death of 11 fans due to a stampede.

Speaking ahead of India’s departure for the England Test series, Gambhir voiced his deep concern and disapproval of public roadshows being used as platforms for celebratory events.

Gambhir, who was part of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup triumph and two IPL title-winning squads with Kolkata Knight Riders, stated that he has never supported the idea of public road parades to commemorate victories. He emphasised that celebrations should be held in a controlled environment to ensure public safety.

“I was never a believer of having a road show. Even in 2007, I was not in favour of that. Have it in a closed door or in a stadium. I hope nothing like this happens in the future,” Gambhir said.

He refrained from placing direct blame on any individual or organisation but highlighted the collective responsibility of those involved in planning such large-scale events.

“We need to be responsible citizens, in every aspect, of whether being a franchise. If we we were not ready to hold a road show, shouldn`t have done that. You can`t lose 11 people,” Gambhir stated emphatically.

Despite the event being organised and ticketed by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), crowd control measures failed catastrophically. While only a limited number of tickets were officially issued, nearly 2.5 lakh fans flooded the area around the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, far exceeding safe capacity and creating a chaotic and ultimately tragic situation.

The stampede resulted in the death of 11 fans, all between the ages of 13 and 35. The victims included both young men and women who had gathered to celebrate RCB’s maiden IPL triumph. According to official reports, six deaths were reported at Bowring Hospital, four at Vydehi Hospital, and one at Manipal Hospital.

RCB`s social media team had invited people to the celebrations with a social media post but later withdrew it after the Bengaluru Traffic Police stated that it would be difficult to allow a victory parade given the congestion on the route.

The parade was given the go ahead by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah but did not take place due to crowd chaos and rain.

(With PTI inputs)

This article first appeared on Mid Day