New Crowd Law Coming: Govt. Plans Law with Jail Time for Mismanagement
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Karnataka government is preparing to introduce a new and strict law for crowd management, prompted by the recent stampede incident outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium following an IPL match. The proposed bill includes stringent penalties against organizers found negligent in managing crowds.
According to the bill, if a stampede-like situation occurs in the future—such as the one witnessed at Chinnaswamy Stadium—the responsible management personnel could face up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to ₹50,000.
The law will also set maximum attendance limits for events like cricket and football matches, weddings, and political rallies. However, due to the relatively lower number of stampede incidents at fairs and religious gatherings, these events are currently exempt from the law.
Notably, during the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), after Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won a match on June 4, 2025, massive crowds gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate. While the stadium's capacity is 35,000, an estimated 2 to 3 lakh fans had gathered, causing a stampede. The tragic incident claimed 11 lives and injured over 33 people. The new bill is seen as a major step by the government to prevent such tragedies in the future.