‘Photo opportunity cost': Father of Bengaluru stampede victim refuses to leave son's grave
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL victory in 18 years – which was anticipated to be a grand celebration – turned ghastly, leaving at least 11 people dead and 47 injured after a stampede broke out at the gates of the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Still, beyond the statistics lie heartbreaking stories, such as that of a father seen in a viral video clinging to his son's grave in anguish.
The video doing the rounds on social media shows BT Lakshman – father of 21-year-old Bhumik Lakshman, who died in the stampede – crying inconsolably at his son's grave, refusing to leave him, in their native village in Hassan district.
'What happened to my son should not happen to anyone,' he says, lying on the ground with his head pressed against the grave. 'The land I had bought for him is where his memorial has been built.'
Refusing to let go, Lakshman adds, 'I don't want to go anywhere else now. I want to stay here too,' as two men approach and help him to his feet. 'No father should have to face what I am facing,' he says.
Bhumik, a final-year engineering student, was among the thousands who had gathered outside Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday to celebrate and catch a glimpse of the RCB players after their historic IPL title win – the team's first in 18 years. Tragically, he was one of the 11 people, including a 14-year-old girl, who lost their lives in the resulting stampede.
The video of Mr Lakshman at his son's grave was also shared by the Karnataka unit of the BJP, which has accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of being 'murderous.'
'Murderous CM @siddaramaiah sir, murderous DCM @DKShivakumar sir, if you had made up your mind, you could have taken a photo with your children and grandchildren in a luxurious hotel with a cup. But your insistence on taking a photo on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha has made 11 families wash their hands in tears every day. Can you give this father his son back?' the BJP Karnataka handle posted in Kannada on X.
The video also evoked a plethora of responses from social media users, who slammed Bengaluru Police's security arrangements, while several believed that 'a photo opportunity cost so many lives.'
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