Virat Kohli, IPL stampede deaths and the Allu Arjun 'Pushpa 2' premiere parallel: Should celebrities be blamed?

Dubai: What began as a celebration has ended in mourning.

At least 11 people lost their lives during a celebratory event for Royal Challengers Bangalore near Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 4, where fans gathered in the thousands, hoping to catch a glimpse of their cricketing idols. Among them, Virat Kohli — the talismanic star of Indian cricket and arguably the most recognisable face in the sport.

Now, a police complaint has been filed against Kohli, accusing him of being partly responsible for the deadly stampede. The complaint, lodged by activist A.M. Venkatesh, cites the lack of planning and crowd control, and has been accepted for review alongside the broader investigation already underway.

It’s a disturbing moment — not just for the families affected, but for the country’s complicated relationship with celebrity culture. And it’s not the first time this question has emerged.

Back in December 2024, Telugu actor Allu Arjun was arrested and questioned after a stampede at a Hyderabad theatre screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule left one woman dead and her child critically injured. His alleged unannounced appearance was enough to set off a crowd crush — and a chain of lethal and legal consequences.

So now, with Kohli under the spotlight, the question resurfaces:
When public adoration turns deadly, who should be held responsible?

Under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code, anyone who causes death through a rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide can be held criminally liable. But for someone to be charged, there must be proof of foreseeability and negligence — that the person knew their actions could lead to harm and did nothing to prevent it.

In Kohli’s case, the event was reportedly not managed with sufficient security, and police were overwhelmed by the number of fans. The complaint argues that Kohli, as the face of the event, should have ensured proper precautions were in place.

But here’s the catch: celebrities aren’t event managers. They don’t issue permits, hire security, or plan crowd logistics. Their teams might coordinate schedules and PR appearances, but the infrastructure around those appearances — from barricades to ambulances — is the responsibility of organisers, local authorities, and law enforcement.

India has seen stampedes in many contexts: political rallies, religious gatherings, and yes, movie premieres. In most cases, the aftermath includes blame, public outrage, and brief debates about safety. Then it’s business as usual — until the next tragedy.

But Allu Arjun’s case was different. He was formally arrested, and police charged his team and the theatre with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. His fans had gathered in adoration. He showed up, unannounced. One woman suffocated in the chaos. Arjun later offered financial support and expressed remorse — but the damage was done.

This sets a worrying precedent: should fame now come with legal liability if anything goes wrong in a crowd?

Globally, one of the most sobering examples remains the Travis Scott Astroworld tragedy in Houston, Texas. In November 2021, ten people died during a concert as the crowd surged forward. While Scott wasn’t criminally charged, he and event organisers faced over 400 lawsuits. The public questioned why the performance continued even as fans called for help.

There have also been major crowd-control failures involving Madonna, Justin Bieber, and K-pop acts — but in most of those cases, authorities strengthened security and venue regulations rather than targeting individual artists.

Assigning blame after a tragedy is a human instinct — we want someone to answer for the pain. But pinning all responsibility on a celebrity is both simplistic and dangerous.

Celebrities don’t sign off on safety protocols. But they do wield influence — and with that, a moral responsibility to ensure their appearances don’t become flashpoints.

That means not making surprise visits. It means insisting that organisers provide proof of crowd control plans before agreeing to show up. It means using their platform to remind fans to stay safe, instead of just soaking in the adulation.

But the real accountability must lie with event organisers, police, venue managers, and PR handlers — the people responsible for planning, coordination, and implementation.

India urgently needs a framework that treats celebrity events with the same seriousness as large-scale public gatherings:

Also remember, idols Virat Kohli and Allu Arjun didn’t intend for lives to be lost. But the tragedies that unfolded around them are real — and they expose the cracks in a system that celebrates fame but fails to manage the frenzy it generates. Instead of pointing fingers only after the damage is done, India should ideally be proactive, enforceable safety mechanisms in place. Because no amount of fan love should cost someone their life.

Let’s stop reacting to stampedes like they’re unforeseeable. They’re not. And the solution begins long before the first fan arrives.