In what is being described as one of the most tragic and avoidable disasters in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has been named as the primary accused in a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Bengaluru Police.
The incident pertains to the deadly stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the team’s victory celebration on June 4, which claimed 11 lives and left 64 injured, including members of the police force.
The FIR also names DNA Entertainment Networks, the event management company involved in organizing the celebration, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for their joint role in proceeding with the event without police authorization.
Grave Charges Under New Legal Code
The Bengaluru police have invoked six serious sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)—India’s updated criminal code. These include:
- Section 105 – Culpable homicide not amounting to murder
- Section 115 – Voluntarily causing harm
- Section 118 – Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous means or weapons
- Section 125 – Act endangering life or personal safety of others
- Section 132 – Obstructing public servants from discharging duty
- Section 190 – Unlawful assembly
Police Account: Ignored Warnings and Triggered Chaos
According to the police complaint, the authorities had explicitly denied permission for the event at the stadium, citing crowd control and logistical concerns.
Despite this, the FIR states that RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment moved forward with the celebration plans.
On the morning of June 4, RCB posted invitations across their official social media handles and website, encouraging fans to join the celebrations and reportedly mentioning that free entry passes would be available at the gates.
The news spread rapidly across social media platforms and TV channels, leading to a massive surge of people toward the stadium.
The police, who were caught off guard, had to urgently mobilize forces across Bengaluru to respond to the emerging crisis.
Stampede and Its Aftermath
While the felicitation ceremony for RCB players at Vidhana Soudha—the Karnataka state legislature—went off without incident earlier in the day, the situation deteriorated dramatically once the stadium gates opened at 3:10 PM. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 35,000, was completely overwhelmed as lakhs of fans crowded outside.
According to the FIR, no structured entry plan or crowd management system was in place. The absence of basic coordination, combined with the social media post about free passes, created mass confusion and panic, leading to a deadly stampede.
Police on the ground struggled to rescue people trapped in the crowd and described the situation as “helpless and chaotic.” Emergency services were seen pulling out injured and unconscious fans from the suffocating throng, even as others screamed for help.
Tragically, 11 people died, and 64 others sustained injuries, some of them critical. Several police personnel were also hurt in the effort to restore order.
Celebration Continued Despite Tragedy
Even as ambulances ferried the injured to hospitals and authorities scrambled to regain control, the RCB celebration inside the stadium began at 5:45 PM as scheduled, drawing sharp criticism from the public.
The FIR notes that despite being aware of the chaos outside, the event was not called off or postponed.
The police have placed direct responsibility on the shoulders of RCB, KSCA, and DNA, asserting that they “completely disregarded public safety” and ignored official warnings.
The report further underlined that RCB’s lack of transparency about pass distribution and their last-minute public invitation sparked mass confusion and dangerous overcrowding.
RCB Responds Amid Legal Trouble
In response to the mounting criticism and the FIR, RCB has issued a brief statement indicating that the franchise will fully cooperate with legal authorities and ongoing investigations.
A source from RCB, quoted by PTI, said:
“We cannot comment on any legal matters at this moment. However, RCB remains committed to cooperating fully with all government bodies and judicial authorities involved.”
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
Public sentiment has turned sharply against the franchise and the organizing bodies, with many questioning how such an event could be held without official permission and basic crowd control measures.
Politicians and activists have begun to call for accountability, and the tragedy has reignited debates around event licensing, public safety, and corporate responsibility in mass gatherings.
The case now proceeds to legal scrutiny, as investigations continue to determine individual culpability and the extent of negligence.