Following the stampede that killed 10 RCB fans during IPL victory celebrations in Bengaluru, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) temporarily halted operations at Cubbon Park and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Vidhana Soudha metro stations from 4:30 PM on Wednesday.
The suspension came amid massive overcrowding in central Bengaluru, as thousands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans thronged the Chinnaswamy Stadium and Vidhana Soudha to celebrate the team’s maiden IPL title. The festivities quickly turned chaotic due to poor crowd control, resulting in fatalities and multiple injuries.
BMRCL issued a statement urging commuters to avoid the affected metro stations, use alternative stops, and cooperate with staff for safety. All QR code and token ticketing services at the closed stations were also disabled.
Despite the official cancellation of the open-top victory parade earlier in the day due to traffic concerns, fans continued to pour into the city centre. Overcrowding was also reported at other Purple Line stations like Halasuru, Trinity, and Indiranagar.
Emergency services rushed the injured to Bowring Hospital, while police and civic authorities faced sharp criticism over the lack of preparedness and conflicting communication that contributed to the tragedy.
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