Morning Digest: 11 die in stampede as RCB victory celebrations turn tragic at Bengaluru; MHA says next census to be completed by March 1, 2027, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest: June 05, 2025

What began as a day of rapturous celebration over the IPL victory of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) turned into one of crushing tragedy in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening when 11 people -- all aged below 40 -- died and 33 were injured when a massive build up of fans at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium led to chaos and stampede.

India will count its population by March 1, 2027, in a census to be held after an unprecedented 16-year gap, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Wednesday (June 4, 2025). This will be the country’s first digital census, and the first in independent India to include an enumeration of castes as well.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him “very strongly” in a phone call Wednesday that he will respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack on Russian airfields as the deadlock over the war drags on and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Russia’s ceasefire proposal.

Seven more COVID-19 deaths had been reported in the country in the previous 24 hours, as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) morning. Maharashtra reported the highest number of deaths (four). One death each has been reported from Delhi, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. The total death toll stands at 44, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) said that while the Constitution mandates delimitation based on the first Census conducted after 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union Government had now postponed the Census to 2027, signalling an alleged attempt to curtail Tamil Nadu’s Parliamentary representation.

Large swathes of low-lying areas across the north-eastern region, primarily Assam and Manipur’s Imphal Valley, continued to reel under floods, while the hills of Mizoram witnessed more landslides and mudslides during the past 24 hours.

After a night of celebrating the victory of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), thousands of fans started gathering near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and Vidhana Soudha, between which a ‘victory parade’ was planned, by Wednesday afternoon. Clad in the jerseys of their favourite team, there were people from all age groups, including parents with children and the elderly. The banners, music, and dancing in the crowd reflected the fervour of the fans ... all until things started to take a very tragic turn.