“I Want to Stay Here Too…” — Father Weeps at Son’s Grave After Bengaluru Stampede Tragedy
Among the victims was 21-year-old Bhavik Lakshman, an engineering student in his final year. A video of his grieving father, B.T. Lakshman, mourning at his son's grave in their ancestral village in Hassan district, Karnataka, has gone viral — piercing the hearts of millions.
Bengaluru: What was meant to be a night of celebration turned into a tragedy when a stampede at the gates of Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed the lives of 11 people and left 47 injured. Thousands had gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL title win, but the overcrowding led to chaos and heartbreak for many.
Among the victims was 21-year-old Bhavik Lakshman, an engineering student in his final year. A video of his grieving father, B.T. Lakshman, mourning at his son’s grave in their ancestral village in Hassan district, Karnataka, has gone viral — piercing the hearts of millions.
In the emotional footage, Lakshman is seen lying on the ground, his head resting on the grave, weeping inconsolably. “What happened to my son should never happen to anyone else,” he says. Pointing to the spot, he adds, “This is the land I had bought for him, and now it holds only his memorial.” Refusing to leave, he cries, “I don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to stay here, with him.”
When others come to lift him up, Lakshman resists, continuing to wail, “No father should ever go through what I am going through.”
Bhavik had gone to the stadium like thousands of others to catch a glimpse of the players who brought home the IPL trophy after 18 years. Tragically, he was caught in the stampede and died along with ten others, including a 14-year-old girl.
In the immediate aftermath, Lakshman had made a heartfelt plea to the authorities, asking that his son’s body not be subjected to post-mortem dissection. “He was my only son, and now I’ve lost him. Please, just return his body to me. Don’t cut him. No chief minister or deputy CM can bring him back,” he told reporters, choking on tears.
The incident has sparked outrage and sorrow across the nation, with calls for better crowd control and accountability at public events. For Bhavik’s family, however, the loss is irreparable — and a father’s cries now echo the pain of a shattered future.
