Karnataka Blames RCB for Deadly Bengaluru Stampede After IPL Victory Parade

A tragic stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025, which claimed 11 lives and injured over 50, has been pinned on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), their event partner DNA Networks, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). A Karnataka government report, released on July 17 following a High Court order, exposes glaring lapses in planning and coordination that led to the catastrophe.

The chaos erupted after RCB’s IPL 2025 victory on June 3, when the franchise announced a celebratory parade without securing necessary permissions. The report reveals that RCB failed to submit a formal request to the police, ignoring statutory requirements under the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009. Despite police rejecting the parade proposal on June 3 due to insufficient details, RCB went ahead, posting invites on social media at 7:01 AM on June 4, urging fans to gather from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium.

A video featuring Virat Kohli, shared with the caption,

“I’m going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru tomorrow and celebrate this with the city,”

fuelled massive online buzz. The result? An estimated 300,000 fans flooded the area, overwhelming the stadium’s 35,000 capacity. Bengaluru Metro reported a staggering 9.66 lakh riders that day, compared to a usual 6 lakh, underscoring the unprecedented turnout.

The situation spiralled at 3:00 PM when crowds surged at the stadium gates, expecting free entry as initially suggested by RCB’s posts. A belated clarification at 3:14 PM, stating entry required limited free passes, sparked confusion and frustration, escalating into a deadly crush. Gates 1, 2, and 21 saw the worst overcrowding, with security measures crumbling under the pressure.

The government’s report slams Royal Challengers Bengaluru, DNA Networks, and KSCA for bypassing protocols and leaving crowd control to an unprepared police force. It also questions the inaction of IPS officer Vikash Kumar and four others, whose suspensions were controversially revoked by the Central Administrative Tribunal. The state is now challenging this decision, arguing the officers failed to enforce prohibitor orders.

As the CID investigation nears its conclusion, with statements recorded from RCB and DNA Networks officials, Bengaluru mourns the lives lost in a tragedy that could have been avoided. The city awaits justice, with no timeline yet for the final verdict.

                                               

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