Jun 05, 2025 12:38 PM IST
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar was emotional while addressing the media about the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 people.
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar broke down in tears on Thursday as he addressed the media for the first time since the tragic stampede in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives.
Visibly emotional, Shivakumar struggled to hold back his emotions while speaking about the incident that unfolded during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL victory celebrations, calling it a heartbreaking moment for the state.
“We must learn an administrative lesson, let the opposition do politics on dead bodies. I will list how many dead bodies they have done politics on. But it hurts to see the little children. I have seen their pain,” Shivakumar said.
Shivakumar’s reaction comes a day after he offered an apology. Speaking to news agency ANI, the deputy chief minister said, “This should not have happened and we never expected such a big crowd…The stadium’s capacity is 35,000, but more than 3 lakh people were there…Gates (of the stadium) have been broken…We apologise for this incident…We want to know the facts and give a clear message.”
He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of politicising the incident. “The BJP is doing politics…We are very sorry for the incident. We will work out a better solution in the future.”
The stampede took place near the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium when thousands of fans gathered to glimpse their favourite players ahead of RCB’s IPL victory celebrations.
The Karnataka government announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh to the families of the deceased killed in the stampede. Chief minister Siddaramaiah addressed a press conference and said the government would also provide free treatment to the injured.
