Son Dead In Bengaluru Stampede, Inconsolable Father Makes A Request

A man who lost his son in the stampede in Bengaluru yesterday appeared inconsolable, pleading with the authorities to return his body without an autopsy. "At least give me his body. Don't do a postmortem. Don't cut his body into pieces," urged the heartbroken father. Struggling to hold back his emotions, he continued, "I had only one son, and now I have lost him. He came here without informing me. Now the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister may visit, but no one can bring him back." 

His son was among those 11 cricket fans who died in the stampede that broke out during the frenzied celebration at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium last evening. Dozens of others were injured.

By the morning, all autopsies had been done, and the bodies were handed over to their families.

Read: A Timeline Of Bengaluru Stampede That Killed 11

A huge crowd had turned up to celebrate the local franchise RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)'s maiden victory in the Indian Premier League in 18 years, which had become an emotive issue in the state. The crowd swelled as entry was free.

As the celebrations went on inside, chaos erupted outside. The turnout was more than expected, choking the narrow entry points to the stadium. Desperate to attend the felicitation ceremony at the stadium, thousands tried to force their way inside, and a stampede broke out.

By 5 pm, it was clear that the tragedy had unfolded.

Besides those dead and injured, many who had come to attend the felicitation ceremony had also fainted. Visuals showed those injured and unconscious being taken to a nearby hospital.

Read: What Led To Bengaluru Stampede

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered an investigation into what led to the stampede. The report is expected in 15 days.

Apologising for the venue overcrowding, his deputy, DK Shivakumar, said all efforts were made to keep the programme short. Authorities can't use lathis on the "young vibrant crowd" to control them, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also shared his condolences for the Bengaluru mishap. "In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those who are injured have a speedy recovery," he said.