Daijiworld Media Network- Bengaluru (DD)

Bengaluru, Jun 5 : Actor-producer Anushka Sharma expressed profound grief following the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives and injured 47 others.

Present at the event alongside her husband, RCB star Virat Kohli, Anushka witnessed the massive crowd of nearly two lakh fans gathered to celebrate the team’s historic first IPL title. The huge turnout led to chaos when thousands tried to enter the stadium via a narrow passage, triggering the fatal stampede.

Late Wednesday, Anushka took to Instagram to share the official statement released by RCB addressing the calamity. The team expressed deep sorrow and condolences to the families of the victims. “RCB mourns the tragic loss of lives and extends our heartfelt condolences to the affected families. Upon learning of the incident, we immediately amended our program and followed the guidance of local authorities,” the statement said.

Anushka reposted this message with three broken heart emojis, conveying her sadness. Earlier, she had shared joyful moments from the open bus victory parade, including a snapshot of Virat Kohli seated next to the driver holding the IPL trophy, captioned “Namma Bengaluru current scenes,” celebrating the city’s long-awaited cricket triumph.

With strong ties to Bengaluru, Anushka had also shared a touching message during the celebrations: “These happy faces have waited for this very lovingly and patiently.”

What was meant to be a day of jubilation for RCB fans turned into a day of mourning. Authorities are now investigating crowd control and event management lapses, as the cricket fraternity and fans worldwide offer condolences and stand in solidarity with the victims’ families.