Govt Action on RCB Tragedy! Criminal Case Approved Against Team & Cricket Body
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), fresh off their IPL 2025 title win, are facing serious legal trouble after a tragic stampede during their victory celebrations left 11 people dead and over 50 injured.
Following the incident, the Karnataka government approved filing of a criminal case against the RCB management and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). A judicial probe led by Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission was set up and given a month to investigate.
The commission submitted its report on July 11 to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, directly blaming RCB, KSCA, event organizer DNA Entertainment, and Bengaluru Police for the chaos outside Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. The government accepted the findings and has also supported suspension of police officers involved in the mismanagement.
The report exposed a series of gross mismanagements and violations. It revealed that DNA Entertainment failed to obtain proper permits under the 2009 Municipal Order for the June 3 victory parade. Despite police refusing permission, RCB publicly promoted the event, even releasing a video appeal featuring Virat Kohli inviting fans to attend for free.
On June 4, over 3 lakh fans gathered, far exceeding the expected crowd capacity. At 3:14 PM, organizers abruptly announced that entry passes were required, contradicting earlier messages. This sudden change triggered panic and confusion, leading to a deadly stampede at the gates, injuring seven policemen as well.
The commission concluded that RCB, DNA Entertainment, KSCA, and Bengaluru Police failed to coordinate effectively, resulting in the tragedy.
In the aftermath, the government had ordered disciplinary action against police officials, suspended the CM’s political secretary, transferred the state intelligence chief, and announced compensation for victims. With the criminal case now approved, RCB management and KSCA officials could face prosecution, marking a dark turn for the franchise after their historic title win.