Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Following the incident, Kharge, in a post on his social media platform X, called on authorities to immediately strengthen safety protocols for such events to prevent any future tragedies.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic stampede in Bengaluru during the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2025 victory. The loss of precious lives and the injuries sustained by many in this unfortunate incident are profoundly distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured," Kharge said.