<p>Bengaluru: At 3.30 pm, a colleague and I set out for the Chinnaswamy Stadium, unclear about what to expect. Some said there would be a victory parade inside, while others said the chief minister would honour RCB in front of the Vidhana Soudha.</p><p>We got into the stadium, waiting for the party to start, with no inkling of the horrors about to unfold just outside the gate through which we had come in. </p><p>At 4.45 pm, we heard about a fan who had died in a stampede, but there was no way we could confirm anything. The mobile network was poor, and the crowd was so huge that we couldn’t imagine how to make our way out. When I finally pushed and jostled my way out of the stadium, the first thing I saw was a man carrying an unconscious woman on his shoulders. He was pleading for help. Some in the crowd helped him carry the woman to an ambulance. </p>.We should not have come here, rue friends of victims.<p>The siren of the ambulance was wailing, but it was drowned by fans cheering. At the main entrance, thousands of fans waited to get a glimpse of their favourite stars.</p><p>Before the bus with the players drove in, I had seen five people being carried out. At Gate 12, fans were outnumbered by the police and emergency staff. As I stood at a vantage point, I saw ambulances being stuck in traffic. Two ambulances were trying to use the wrong side of the road.</p><p>Fans were screaming; it was not clear if they were seeking help or cheering. </p><p>The police started caning fans to clear the path for the team bus. The ambulances got no help. A sudden burst of rain added to the chaos.</p><p>As the bus entered the stadium, I ran back to the ground to catch Virat Kohli lift up the cup. The crowd roared. An unprecedented number of fans had filled the stands. </p><p>The celebrations continued, with most people inside oblivious to what was unfolding outside. By now, four people were confirmed dead. The players went around the ground, holding up the trophy and waving to their fans. The sky was filled with fireworks, barely visible as the sun was still not down. Suddenly, the celebrations were over. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: At 3.30 pm, a colleague and I set out for the Chinnaswamy Stadium, unclear about what to expect. Some said there would be a victory parade inside, while others said the chief minister would honour RCB in front of the Vidhana Soudha.</p><p>We got into the stadium, waiting for the party to start, with no inkling of the horrors about to unfold just outside the gate through which we had come in. </p><p>At 4.45 pm, we heard about a fan who had died in a stampede, but there was no way we could confirm anything. The mobile network was poor, and the crowd was so huge that we couldn’t imagine how to make our way out. When I finally pushed and jostled my way out of the stadium, the first thing I saw was a man carrying an unconscious woman on his shoulders. He was pleading for help. Some in the crowd helped him carry the woman to an ambulance. </p>.We should not have come here, rue friends of victims.<p>The siren of the ambulance was wailing, but it was drowned by fans cheering. At the main entrance, thousands of fans waited to get a glimpse of their favourite stars.</p><p>Before the bus with the players drove in, I had seen five people being carried out. At Gate 12, fans were outnumbered by the police and emergency staff. As I stood at a vantage point, I saw ambulances being stuck in traffic. Two ambulances were trying to use the wrong side of the road.</p><p>Fans were screaming; it was not clear if they were seeking help or cheering. </p><p>The police started caning fans to clear the path for the team bus. The ambulances got no help. A sudden burst of rain added to the chaos.</p><p>As the bus entered the stadium, I ran back to the ground to catch Virat Kohli lift up the cup. The crowd roared. An unprecedented number of fans had filled the stands. </p><p>The celebrations continued, with most people inside oblivious to what was unfolding outside. By now, four people were confirmed dead. The players went around the ground, holding up the trophy and waving to their fans. The sky was filled with fireworks, barely visible as the sun was still not down. Suddenly, the celebrations were over. </p>