The aftermath of the tragic stampede in Bengaluru following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory continues to unfold, with calls for accountability intensifying. An activist has reportedly approached the police seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Virat Kohli in connection with the incident that claimed the lives of 11 people and injured over 50. The stampede occurred near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during celebrations of RCB's maiden IPL title win.
The activist's rationale for implicating Kohli likely stems from his prominent role in promoting the event and the anticipation surrounding his appearance at the celebrations. News of Kohli's planned presence drew massive crowds to the stadium, and his announcement of city-wide celebrations following the IPL final further fueled expectations. While the specific legal grounds for targeting Kohli remain unclear, the move underscores the growing public outrage and demand for those deemed responsible to be held accountable.
Meanwhile, police have already taken action by arresting three senior officials from Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd., the event management firm, in connection with the stampede. Those being questioned include Nikhil Sosale, RCB's Head of Marketing and Revenue, and Sunil Mathew and Kiran Kumar from DNA Entertainment. These arrests followed the registration of an FIR against RCB, DNA, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), citing criminal negligence. The FIR was filed at the Cubbon Park Police Station under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, and acts endangering life or personal safety of others.
The Karnataka government has transferred the investigation of the stampede to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and will constitute a special team to probe the incident thoroughly. A magisterial inquiry, conducted by the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Bangalore City District, is also underway.
RCB has stated that it will cooperate with all legal proceedings. The franchise has also announced financial support of ₹10 lakh to each of the families of the deceased and is creating a fund called RCB Cares to support fans injured in the incident. Virat Kohli has expressed his grief over the tragedy, posting on social media, "At a loss for words. Absolutely gutted."
The Karnataka High Court has granted interim conditional relief to KSCA officials, preventing coercive action against them while mandating their cooperation with the investigation and restricting their travel outside the court's jurisdiction.
The incident has prompted widespread condemnation, with questions raised about the adequacy of crowd control measures and security arrangements for the event. The Karnataka government has announced that it will formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mega-events to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The investigation is ongoing, and further developments are expected as authorities work to determine the precise causes of the stampede and assign responsibility.
