Who will return my son to me?

Jun 06, 2025 08:36 AM IST

One after one other, heartbroken mother and father, spouses and relations accused the federal government and organisers of gross negligence

As the our bodies of the victims from Wednesday’s stampede exterior the M Chinnaswamy Stadium had been launched to grieving households, grief rapidly turned to anger. One after one other, heartbroken mother and father, spouses and relations accused the federal government and organisers of gross negligence, holding them answerable for the chaos that claimed the lives of their family members, lots of them college students and younger professionals who had solely come to see their cricketing heroes.

An ambulance arrives on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as followers collect to have a good time Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketers, winners of the Indian Premier League, in Bengaluru. (AP)

The message from households was clear: this tragedy might have been prevented.

“I kept telling him not to go,” stated DT Lakshman, father of 20-year-old Bhoomik DL, an engineering scholar from Hassan. “His mother too told him not to go. But, he wanted to click pictures and post them on social media. Now, no matter how loud I call his name, he will not come back. Ministers may visit us, but who will return my son to me?”

Bhoomik’s physique was dropped at his native Kuppugodu village, the place the household carried out the ultimate rites. “What should I do with all this wealth now, without my son?” Lakshman requested, having spent years constructing a future for Bhoomik in Bengaluru.

In Puttur, the household of 19-year-old Chinmayi Shetty echoed his sentiments. A brilliant engineering scholar and Yakshagana performer, Shetty died after being crushed by the gang. “She had so many dreams — she was good at studies, passionate about sports and Yakshagana,” stated her uncle Sadananda Shetty. “If there had been proper crowd control, this could have been avoided.”

Akshatha Pai, 26, a chartered accountant and gold medallist attended the occasion along with her husband Akshay Pai. They had each taken the time off, and entered the stadium by way of Gate No. 17, proudly sporting RCB jerseys. “We were walking in together, holding hands,” Ashay Pai recalled. “Suddenly, there was a huge push… I lost hold of her. I searched frantically. Then I saw her, lying motionless on the ground… She was wearing the RCB t-shirt. That’s how I recognised her.”

The physique of 14-year-old Divyamshi BS, a Class 9 scholar, was taken to Andhra Pradesh by her household after a tearful farewell in Bengaluru. Her mom Ashwini blamed the authorities for the failure to manage the gang. “They said entry was free, so why didn’t they open all gates?” she requested.

Ashwini’s anger was echoed by Divyamshi’s grandfather Lakshmi Narayana. “There was no police deployment at Gate 15,” he stated. “She went with her mother and aunt. Those present had to rush her to the hospital in an auto.”

In Mandya’s Rayasamudra village, the household of 27-year-old civil engineer Poorna Chandra was in mourning. He had travelled to Bengaluru for the celebration with mates, however by no means made it again. “Just the night before, we had sweets at home to celebrate RCB’s victory,” stated his mom Leelavathi. “Now that very celebration has taken our son away from us.” His uncle Somashekar revealed that the household had deliberate his marriage ceremony for the upcoming Shravana season. “We had even asked him to meet a prospective bride just yesterday,” he stated.

Another life misplaced was that of 17-year-old Shivalinga Chandappa Kumbara, a pre-university scholar from Yelahanka. His mother and father, daily-wage labourers from Yadgir district, had been knowledgeable by police late at night time that their son had “met with an accident”.

“When we reached the hospital, we saw his body and were shocked beyond words,” stated his brother Honnappa. “There were clear signs of injuries on his chest from being trampled.”