New Delhi: The euphoria surrounding Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL 2025 title win turned into tragedy when a stampede at the team’s victory celebration parade near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured. In the wake of this devastating incident, top Karnataka Cricket State Association (KSCA) officials have stepped down, taking “moral responsibility” for the chaos that unfolded.
KSCA Secretary A. Shankar and Treasurer E.S. Jairam tendered their resignations late on Thursday night, citing their decision to step aside out of respect for the victims and their families. In their resignation letter to the KSCA President, they acknowledged the gravity of the tragedy, even though they emphasised their limited role in organising the event. “This is to inform that due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded… we have tendered our resignation,” their statement read.
RCB’s response to the tragedy
Following the incident, RCB announced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh each to the families of the 11 supporters who lost their lives. The team’s statement acknowledged the heartbreak and pain that the stampede had caused. “As a mark of respect and a gesture of solidarity, RCB has announced a financial support of Rs 10 lakh to each of the eleven families of the deceased,” the franchise said.
𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗿𝘂
The unfortunate incident in Bengaluru yesterday has caused a lot of anguish and pain to the RCB family. As a mark of respect and a gesture of solidarity, RCB has announced a financial… pic.twitter.com/C50WID1FEI
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 5, 2025
Additionally, RCB revealed that a fund called “RCB Cares” would be created to support those injured in the tragic incident. The stampede occurred as thousands of fans rushed to catch a glimpse of the IPL champions, led by Virat Kohli, sparking chaos outside the stadium.
Investigations and criticism
A magisterial inquiry is currently underway with the report expected within a fortnight. The Bengaluru Traffic Police had earlier expressed concerns about managing the massive crowd but the celebrations were given the green light by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Unfortunately, despite the initial approval, rain and overwhelming crowds led to total mayhem and the cancellation of the actual parade.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia pointed to lapses in crowd management and called for better coordination among franchise officials, police, and district administration. He highlighted the well-organised victory parade that held in Mumbai after India won the T20 World Cup as an example of how such events can be managed safely.
Voices of disappointment
RCB star Virat Kohli shared his heartbreak on social media writing that he felt “gutted” by the events that unfolded. Meanwhile, former India wicketkeeper and Karnataka legend Syed Kirmani criticised the mishandling of the event calling it a “deadly welcome” and questioning why such a large-scale gathering was allowed without adequate security arrangements.
As the investigation continues, the tragedy has cast a long shadow over what should have been a joyous celebration for Bengaluru’s cricket fans. The resignations of the KSCA officials reflect a gesture of accountability but questions remain about whether enough was done to protect the supporters who came out in huge numbers to celebrate the victory.
Tragedy strikes RCB IPL celebration in Bengaluru: 11 fans killed in stampede, leading to resignations from Karnataka cricket officials. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
