Blame game: RCB, Virat Kohli's video appeal blamed for Bengaluru stadium stampede for IPL celebrations

Dubai: The Karnataka government has held the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) responsible for the stampede at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, during Indian Premier League (IPL) victory celebrations. The tragic incident claimed 11 lives and left several others injured.

According to a report submitted to the High Court, RCB unilaterally organised the event without consulting the police or securing the necessary permissions. The franchise only informed the Bengaluru police on June 3—just a day before the celebrations—treating it as an intimation rather than a formal request for permission, which is typically required at least seven days in advance for major public events.

Due to the lack of notice and absence of a crowd estimate, the Cubbon Park police denied permission. Despite this, RCB posted promotional material on June 4 on its official social media channels, announcing free public entry and urging fans to join the victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium.

RCB followed up with another post at 8am that day, including a video of cricketer Virat Kohli inviting fans to attend. A subsequent tweet posted around noon included details about free passes. These posts reportedly garnered over 4.4 million views and drew a crowd of over 300,000 people.

Police were deployed along the parade route and at the stadium, but were overwhelmed due to the lack of coordination and information from the event organizers. As crowds swelled, RCB posted a message indicating only limited pass-entry would be allowed, leading to mass confusion and frustration among attendees.

The situation deteriorated when stadium gates remained closed, prompting fans to rush in uncontrollably through gates 1, 2, and 21. The report identified stampede-like incidents at several gates, including 1, 2, 2A, 6, 7, 17, 18, 20, and 21. Police reportedly responded swiftly to manage the situation.

The report emphasized that canceling the event could have provoked widespread violence, both at the stadium and across the city. Authorities opted to continue the celebration to avoid large-scale riots, prioritizing public safety over immediate cancellation.

The report concluded by noting that in situations involving volatile crowds, last-minute cancellations often escalate tensions and can lead to mob violence—a pattern observed in other similar incidents.