The Karnataka government has held the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) accountable for a tragic stampede that occurred outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, resulting in 11 fatalities and over 50 injuries. This revelation came in a status report released on Thursday, July 17, just two days after the Karnataka High Court mandated its public disclosure.
In addition to RCB, the report also implicates the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and RCB’s event partner, DNA Networks, for organizing the event without the necessary permits. Alarmingly, it details that RCB proceeded with the parade despite police denying permission.
“According to the report, the organizers failed to submit a formal request for permission, and without the required details, the police could not process any request for approval. Consequently, permission was not granted based on the communication dated June 3, 2025,” the report states, placing significant blame on the franchise.
KSCA CEO Subhendu Ghosh had informed the Cubbon Park police on the evening of June 3 about the planned parade in case of the team’s victory. However, the police rejected this proposal due to a lack of sufficient details and short notice. Despite this, RCB went ahead and posted invites on social media at 7:01 AM on June 4, urging fans to gather for a victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium.
Legally, organizers must apply for such events at least seven days prior to the date. The court observed that the parade was organized impulsively following RCB’s IPL 2025 victory on June 3.
Notably, a video featuring Virat Kohli urging fans to celebrate garnered massive online engagement, leading to an overwhelming turnout. A screenshot from RCB’s Instagram post included his statement, “I’m going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru tomorrow and celebrate this with the city.” This led to a staggering public turnout of over three million people.
Traffic data from BMRCL indicates that approximately 9.66 lakh people used public transportation on June 4, significantly higher than the usual ridership of around 6 lakh. Given the number of attendees who walked or used private vehicles, the actual crowd size likely exceeded three million.
“By 3 PM on June 4, a sudden surge of approximately 300,000 individuals gathered in the constricted area around Chinnaswamy Stadium, far surpassing the venue’s capacity of just 35,000. This crowd formed at the entrance gates after RCB’s official posts indicated that entry would be free for all,” the report highlights.
“However, it was not until around 3:14 PM that RCB and DNA Networks released a post on their social media, clarifying that entry would require limited pass access (free passes), causing confusion and chaos among the emotionally charged crowd already present at the stadium.”
The government emphasized that merely notifying the police was insufficient, as no formal permission was sought in line with the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009. “No requisition for permission was submitted in the required format, nor was any essential information provided to the relevant departments to anticipate the gathering and make necessary arrangements,” the report stated.
As a result, police were left to manage crowd control just hours before the event, leading to significant crowding and security lapses at several gates, including Gates 1, 2, and 21.
Meanwhile, the state government is contesting a decision by the Central Administrative Tribunal to lift the suspension of four IPS officers, including Vikash Kumar, arguing that they should have proactively implemented safety measures. “How did the officer respond? Did he take any action? They proceeded with arrangements for the event instead of securing prohibitory orders under the Police Act,” noted the report.
The CID investigation is nearing its conclusion, with statements from senior RCB and DNA Networks officials recorded. However, an official date for the final ruling has yet to be announced.
