Parents Of Stampede Victim, 24, Break Down While Accepting Compensation

Four days after a deadly stampede in Bengaluru, a family in Karnataka's Kolar was handed a financial compensation for the damage that cannot be compensated - the loss of their 24-year-old daughter.

Kolar deputy commissioner MR Ravi visited the home of Sahana, one of the 11 people who died in the June 4 stampede that occurred in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium during the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team's IPL victory celebrations. Forty-seven were injured in the tragedy.

Her mother broke down as she was offered the cheque of Rs 25 lakh compensation by the officer. Sahana's father, who was trying to hold back his tears, burst out crying as soon as he touched the cheque. As other family members comforted them, the parents were seen weeping uncontrollably.

All the victims of the stampede were in the 20-30 years age group with a 14-year-old being the youngest - Divyanshi (14), Doresha (32), Bhoomik (20), Sahana (24), Akshata (27), Manoj (33), Shravan (20), Devi (29), Shivalinga (17) and Chinmayi (19) and Prajwal (20).

Earlier, the Karnataka government had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each, which was later increased to Rs 25 lakh per family.

The opposition BJP has been criticising the Congress government in the state, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar of "apathy".

"The police had informed them of the first death by noon. Eight young ones had already died when the event began, yet the programme continued, showing that these leaders have hearts of stone," said Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka.

The tragedy has also led to a blame game with the state government suspending police officers, and cops saying that they had flagged concerns about the event.

Several officials, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, have been suspended for alleged laxity that led to the stampede. Four people, including an RCB marketing head, have been arrested so far.

A letter accessed by NDTV established that the police force deployed at the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha had warned against the idea of holding the RCB's IPL trophy celebrations at the grand stairs of the premises. In a letter to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on June 4, Vidhana Soudha's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) MN Karibasavana Gowda pointed out the lack of time for security preparedness to tackle "lakhs of cricket fans" expected at the spot.

R Ashoka slammed the government for going on with celebrations both at Vidhana Soudha and the stadium thereafter, despite deaths due to a stampede, and called the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister "inhuman".

On Saturday, top senior officials of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Secretary A Shankar and Treasurer ES Jairam, tendered their resignations, taking "moral responsibility" for the stampede.