(Image source from: x.com/RCBTweets)
The management team of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is set to undergo official investigation due to a social media announcement about a public victory parade, which was made mere hours before a tragic stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, with 47 more sustaining injuries. This inquiry will also extend to senior officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), as their involvement in arranging the celebration event is currently under examination by Bengaluru Police and a magisterial inquiry committee.
The stampede took place on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 4, coinciding with festivities honoring RCB's first Indian Premier League (IPL) championship after an 18-year period. At 3:14 pm on that day, RCB's official account on the social media platform X (previously Twitter) shared a post revealing a "Victory Parade" that was slated to kick off at 5 pm from Vidhana Soudha and lead to Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a celebration ceremony was intended to follow. The announcement included a link offering free tickets, mentioning "limited entry" and urging fans to comply with directives from law enforcement.
RCB Victory Parade: Today at 5 pm IST. ‼️
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 4, 2025
Victory Parade will be followed by celebrations at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
We request all fans to follow guidelines set by police and other authorities, so that everyone can enjoy the roadshow peacefully.
Free passes (limited… pic.twitter.com/raJMXlop5O
The message proclaimed, "The Victory Parade will conclude with festivities at Chinnaswamy Stadium. We urge all supporters to adhere to the regulations established by police and other officials to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone attending the roadshow. Free passes (limited entry) can be found at shop.royalchallengers.com." Prior to June 4, the sole communication from RCB had been via KSCA, which, on June 3, sent a request for permission to conduct a celebration event at Vidhana Soudha. This directly contradicted the earlier claims made by the Karnataka government that the event was organized at the last minute. Bengaluru Police had recommended postponing the celebrations by a minimum of two days to ensure adequate preparation.
The occurrence of two simultaneous events—one outside Vidhana Soudha where the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Governor were set to honor the RCB team, and the other at Chinnaswamy Stadium—led to significant logistical complications. While estimates indicate a crowd of over one lakh gathered outside Vidhana Soudha, the stadium's attendance was estimated to exceed three lakh. The Bengaluru Police, already operating with stretched resources, had to redirect a significant number of officers to secure the government complex, thus dispersing their personnel between both sites. This resulted in a failure of coordination, particularly at Gates 2, 2A, 6, 7, 16, 17, 18, and 21, where surges in crowd movement overwhelmed the police and stadium staff present.
