Stampede-Like Situation at Jharkhand T20 League Final Leaves Several Injured

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari appealed to people not to panic and said that the Health Ministry took immediate action after reports of injuries came from the stadium.

In his post on X, Ansari said that ambulances were dispatched to the scene and hospitals were alerted to quickly treat the injured. Necessary instructions were also given to the Civil Surgeon and other relevant officials.

“As soon as reports came in that some people were injured in the last T-20 match of the Jharkhand Premier League (JPL) at the JSCA Stadium, I immediately mobilized the Health Department. Necessary instructions have been issued to the Civil Surgeon and concerned officials. Ambulances have reached the spot and immediate medical assistance is being provided to all the injured. Hospitals have also been alerted for better treatment of the injured.”

The Minister added that he was personally monitoring the situation and assured that all necessary arrangements for treatment and relief efforts were made.

“I am constantly monitoring the situation and the Ministry of Health continues its aid and treatment efforts in a highly prepared manner. There is no need to panic, arrangements are being made for the appropriate treatment of all injured people,” he said.

According to officials, an unexpectedly large crowd gathered at the stadium because entry to the JPL final was free. As the crowd increased, the authorities closed the stadium doors, creating unrest among the spectators waiting outside.

Some people allegedly tried to climb the gates and boundary walls to enter the stadium, causing chaos and a stampede-like situation. The injured were taken to surrounding hospitals for treatment.

Senior police officials, including Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Ranjan, reached the stadium and additional police personnel were deployed to maintain order.

Speaking to reporters, SSP Rakesh Ranjan said that the incident was due to pressure from the crowd at the entry point.

“The fact that only one door was open to public entrance caused the crowd to increase suddenly. The slow pace of security searches led to significant pressure from the public outside and the crowd could not be controlled for a short time. We stepped in and took control of the situation,” he said.

He stated that 4-5 people were injured and were being treated. “The situation is currently calm and under control,” he said.

However, eyewitnesses claimed that crowd management was poor and arrangements at the venue were inadequate.

An eyewitness told ANI: “The arrangements were absolutely poor. What was the point of opening just two gates when we were in the final? All gates should have been opened. The public suffered a lot. People even started jumping over the wall to enter the match.”

Another eyewitness claimed that there was a lack of administrative control during the incident.

The eyewitness said, “There was no administration. My bag was stolen. A young girl’s leg was probably broken. People lost their shoes and slippers. People were even jumping over the wall to get in.”