Bengaluru: A stunning revelation by the Karnataka government has placed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the center of blame for the tragic IPL victory parade disaster that claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured in Bengaluru. In a detailed report submitted to the Karnataka High Court, the government accused RCB of organizing the event without securing proper police permission or coordination, directly leading to the catastrophic crowd crush.
According to the report, RCB unilaterally invited fans to Chinnaswamy Stadium via social media, offering free public entry for the June 4 victory celebration. Crucially, the police were only informed a day prior—on June 3—leaving authorities with no time to implement essential crowd control and security measures.
By law, organisers must apply for permission at least seven days in advance, with full details of the event and expected attendance. RCB neither submitted a formal request nor provided any crowd estimates, and as a result, the Cubbon Park Police Station did not grant official clearance.
The situation was made worse by a video appeal from cricket star Virat Kohli, who urged fans to join in the celebrations, sparking an overwhelming response. The report estimates that around 3 lakh people flooded the route from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, far exceeding what police had anticipated or could manage.
The lack of planning, poor communication, and disregard for public safety protocols led to chaos, stampede-like conditions, and multiple casualties.
Interestingly, while the state sought to keep the report confidential, the High Court refused, questioning the need for secrecy in a matter of public concern.
This high-profile fallout has sparked major debate around accountability, crowd management, and the responsibilities of sporting franchises during public celebrations.
