India, March 24 -- As a tribute to the 11 fans who lost their lives in a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during celebrations following a long-awaited first Indian Premier League triumph by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the franchise has decided to leave 11 empty seats for all matches at the stadium. This is for the 11 fans who will be with us forever, RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said at a media conference on Tuesday.

But even as the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium gears up to host Saturday's opening match of the 2026 IPL, the families who lost their loved ones of that fateful day nine months back said their loss remains as immediate as it was on the day of the incident. For several families, the reopening has brought back memories they have s...