RCB breaks silence after Bengaluru stampede tragedy with emotional note

RCB has broken its silence on the June 4 Bengaluru stampede that killed 11, posting an emotional note for fans after being held responsible for the chaos.

For the first time since the Bengaluru stampede tragedy, Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday issued a heartfelt message to its fans, saying, “The silence wasn’t absence. It was grief.”

 

On June 4, a stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s maiden IPL title celebrations left 11 people dead and over 50 injured. Nearly three lakh people had gathered for the event, overwhelming the security arrangements.

 

The franchise, which had maintained silence for three months, acknowledged the grief in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space. In that silence, we’ve been grieving, listening, learning… We return not with celebration but with care, to stand with you, to walk forward together.” 

CAT holds RCB responsible for chaos

 

Last month, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) observed that RCB bore responsibility for the massive crowd, estimated between three to five lakh people. The tribunal pulled up the franchise for “unilaterally” announcing the celebrations without obtaining necessary police permissions. 

 

The order also came in defence of law enforcement, stressing that the police were “human beings, neither God nor magician,” and could not be expected to manage such a crowd without prior coordination.

 

Police officers reinstated

 

Following the tragedy, four senior police officers were suspended. However, the Karnataka government revoked their suspension on July 28, reinstating them to duty pending disciplinary proceedings. Those reinstated included Additional Director General of Police B Dayananda, IPS officer Shekar H Tekkannavar, Deputy Superintendent C Balakrishna, and Inspector A K Girish.

 

Chinnaswamy declared unsafe for large-scale events

 

In further fallout, the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission, appointed by the Karnataka government to investigate the stampede, declared the M Chinnaswamy Stadium “unsuitable and unsafe” for large-scale public gatherings.