RCB parade tragedy: Karnataka blames organisers for unauthorised event that led to stampede
PTC Web Desk: The Karnataka Government, in its report submitted to the High Court, has held Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) responsible for organising the June 4 victory parade without prior police approval, which resulted in a deadly stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tragic incident claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured.
The report, made public following a High Court directive, criticises RCB and associated organisers for failing to follow mandatory legal protocols. According to the state, RCB merely informed the police of a potential parade on June 3—after winning their first IPL title—but did not formally request permission. No detailed event plan, expected crowd estimate, or safety measures were submitted, making it impossible for the licensing authorities to grant approval.
Despite this, on June 4, RCB posted multiple updates on social media inviting the public to a “Victory Parade” from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, suggesting free public entry. A video message from Virat Kohli and promotional posts saw massive online engagement—over 44 lakh views—which mobilised an enormous crowd.
Authorities estimate that more than 3 lakh people gathered around the stadium, which has a capacity of only 35,000. The swelling crowd included thousands along the 14-km route from HAL Airport to Taj West End hotel, forcing the police to deploy personnel citywide with little preparation time.
Crucially, the first mention of "limited pass entry" was made by RCB only hours before the event. This last-minute update caused mass confusion among attendees, many of whom had already gathered based on earlier posts suggesting open access. By 3 pm, as restive crowds tried to enter the stadium, several gates were broken open, triggering stampedes at multiple entry points including Gates 1, 2, and 21.
The report says the police acted swiftly to regain control, but the lack of planning by RCB, KSCA, and other organisers severely compromised crowd management. Authorities feared that cancelling the event entirely might lead to mass unrest, so a shortened version of the celebrations was allowed under close supervision.
The court had earlier been asked to keep the report confidential, but ruled there was no legal basis to do so.
- With inputs from agencies
