The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) management is under scrutiny following a tragic stampede that resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injuries to 47 others during victory celebrations in Bengaluru on June 4, 2025. A key focus of the investigation is a social media post by RCB calling for a victory parade just hours before the deadly incident.
The Karnataka government has announced a magisterial inquiry into the stampede. The Home Department is also developing a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent similar incidents in the future, mandating that all large-scale events adhere to police department directives. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has offered an apology for the tragedy.
RCB's official social media accounts had been actively promoting the victory parade throughout Wednesday morning, with updates continuing until mid-afternoon. These posts encouraged fans to gather in large numbers, particularly around the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and Vidhana Soudha, leading to an estimated crowd of over two lakh people across the city. While authorities had suggested a limited-entry event inside the stadium, the continuous social media updates fueled fan enthusiasm, overwhelming the police's crowd control measures.
Concerns regarding security and crowd management had been raised by the Bengaluru City Police prior to the event. Despite the Bengaluru Traffic Police announcing that there was no approved parade by noon on June 4, traffic diversions were later set up, adding to the confusion. This unclear messaging, coupled with perceived political pressure, contributed to the chaotic situation. The massive influx of fans outside the stadium led to stampedes at multiple gates, resulting in the tragic loss of life and numerous injuries.
Adding to the controversy, RCB posted a celebratory video on social media showing the team bus being welcomed by cheering fans. This post, captioned "This welcome is what pure love looks like," was met with severe criticism for its insensitivity and was later deleted.
As of June 5, 2025, Bengaluru Police have not registered a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the deaths. Instead, 11 Unnatural Death Reports (UDRs) have been filed. The absence of an FIR has sparked public outrage and demands for accountability, as it is seen as crucial for initiating a criminal investigation.
Confusion surrounding the event plans also played a significant role in the tragedy. Despite the traffic police announcing that there would be no victory parade, RCB management posted on social media at 3:14 PM that a parade would indeed be held at 5 PM, followed by celebrations inside the stadium. This conflicting information led many fans to show up at the stadium without tickets, hoping to obtain passes.
Authorities have stated that the stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people, but the crowd size swelled to an estimated 200,000 to 300,000. Police officials reported that around 50,000 people had gathered within a 1-kilometer radius of the stadium, with many attempting to breach the gates and barriers.
Former India captain Virat Kohli, who was celebrating RCB's IPL title, expressed his grief on social media, stating he was "at a loss for words" and "absolutely gutted" by the tragedy. RCB also released an official statement expressing their sorrow and emphasizing the importance of safety and well-being. The team stated that they had amended their program and followed the guidance of the local administration upon learning of the situation.
