In a heartbreaking video that has gone viral on social media, a grieving father is seen clinging to the grave of his 21-year-old son, who was among the victims of the tragic stampede that occurred outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic IPL win.
The stampede, which broke out at the stadium gates during the celebratory event, claimed at least 11 lives and left 47 injured, turning what should have been a jubilant night into a scene of chaos and sorrow.
'Land I bought for him became his memorial'
The emotional video shows BT Lakshman, father of Bhumik Lakshman, weeping uncontrollably beside his son’s grave in their native village in Hassan district. Refusing to leave, Lakshman is seen lying on the ground with his head pressed against the grave, overcome by grief.
“What happened to my son should not happen to anyone,” he says in the video lying on the ground with his head pressed against the grave. “The land I had bought for him is where his memorial has been built.”
Bhumik, a resident of Karnataka's Hassan district, died in the Bengaluru stampede and was laid to rest in Kappagode village, Belur taluka. Struggling to cope with the loss, his father was seen in the video weeping and hugging his son's grave, before being gently pulled away by those nearby.
Accountability and legal Action
Following the tragic incident, several officials, including the Police Commissioner, were removed from their posts. The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and scheduled a hearing for June 10. Public calls have also emerged demanding legal action against the Karnataka Cricket Association and the CEO of M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Meanwhile, a Bengaluru court has remanded one Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) official and three members of the event management firm, DNA Entertainment, to 14-day judicial custody.
