On June 4, 2025, a stampede broke out during the RCB IPL victory parade at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. What was supposed to be a celebration turned into a tragedy. Eleven people died, and more than 50 were injured. The Karnataka High Court has shared the state government’s status report on the incident. The report blames the RCB management and its event partners for the incident.
According to the government report, RCB and its event management partner, DNA Networks Private Limited, in association with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), "unilaterally decided to hold the victory celebration without prior consultation with the police and without obtaining the necessary permissions or licence for such celebrations."
The report details how the RCB management contacted police only on June 3, the day they won their first IPL title after 18 years, and merely informed them about a possible parade. The report states: "This was in the nature of an intimation, not a requisition for permission as required under the law." It adds that such permissions must be sought at least seven days in advance.
RCB’s posts on their official social media handles further exacerbated the situation. At 7:01 AM on June 4, they posted a photo inviting the public to join the victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, claiming free entry. A second post followed at 8:00 AM, reiterating this message. Later that morning, at 8:55 AM, the team posted a video featuring cricketer Virat Kohli on their X handle @Rcbtweets. In the video, Kohli said the team intended to celebrate their victory with "the people of Bengaluru city and RCB fans on 04.06.2025 in Bengaluru."
These social media posts garnered massive engagement. The first post received around 16 lakh views, the second 4.26 lakh, and the third approximately 17 lakh views. In total, they drew nearly 44 lakh views and prompted an overwhelming turnout. According to the report, more than 3,00,000 people gathered around the stadium, far exceeding its capacity of 35,000.
Despite the overwhelming turnout, clarity on entry procedures came too late. It was only at 3:14 PM on June 4 that RCB and the organisers clarified via a social media post that stadium entry required free passes. The report notes this late announcement "created confusion, frustration, and chaos among the public who had already gathered at the stadium and were in high emotions."
Compounding the confusion, the organisers failed to open gates in a timely and coordinated manner. The crowd, becoming increasingly restless, broke through Gates 1, 2, and 21. The report stated: "As restless crowds gathered at the gates, the situation deteriorated further when the organisers/RCB/DNA/KSCA responsible for gate management failed to open the gates at the appropriate time and in an unsynchronised manner."
Stampedes occurred at multiple gates, including 02, 2A, 6, 7, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 21. Despite immediate police response to regain control, the damage had been done. The report explains that calls to cancel the event were avoided due to fear of large-scale rioting. It noted: "A measured response was taken by curtailing the duration of the function..” prioritizing overall public safety over immediate event cessation.
The Karnataka High Court ordered the report to be made public on July 14, rejecting the state’s plea for confidentiality. "There were no legal grounds for such confidentiality, and they were merely 'facts as perceived' by the government," the court stated.
The court also directed the government to share the report with other parties involved in the case, including RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment Networks. RCB has not made any statements since June 4, aside from announcing increased compensation for victims’ families and launching the 'RCB Cares' fund. Their Chief Marketing Officer, Nikhil Sosale, was arrested in connection with the incident and later granted bail.
A two-member bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) weighed in on July 1, placing direct responsibility on RCB. The tribunal stated the franchise drew a crowd of “approximately three to five lakh people” and concluded that RCB had “created nuisance” by holding the celebrations without proper permissions.
The complaint to CAT was initiated by Vikash Kumar, Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police (West), who was dismissed by the Chief Minister for “substantial dereliction of duty.” Four other police officials were also dismissed for failing to seek proper guidance.
As the investigation continues, the franchise awaits the outcome of a CID probe. The High Court has yet to announce a final judgment date, but the sequence of failures—lack of permissions, poor planning, and delayed communication—paints a stark picture of negligence that turned a historic win into a devastating loss.
The tragic incident has spotlighted the consequences of unplanned mass events and poor coordination. The Karnataka government's report, combined with judicial findings, underscores the need for strict regulatory adherence in public celebrations, especially those involving high-profile entities like IPL franchises. [Rh/VP]
Read More:
