What should have been a moment of glory and celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has turned into a national tragedy. The euphoria of RCB’s maiden IPL title was overshadowed by a horrific stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, which claimed the lives of 11 fans and left several others injured. In the wake of mounting public outrage and a judicial probe into the incident, two top Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials — A Shankar (Secretary) and E S Jairam (Treasurer) — have resigned, taking "moral responsibility" for the mishap.
Stampede in the Shadow of Celebration
The disaster occurred after RCB’s victory celebrations at Vidhan Soudha and outside the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a massive crowd gathered following a social media invitation by RCB. The felicitation at Vidhan Soudha concluded without incident. However, the situation spiraled out of control near the stadium, where lakhs of passionate fans had converged in anticipation of a grand parade and interaction with their cricketing heroes.
Confusion, lack of crowd control, and poor coordination led to a human crush as fans surged past barricades. Photos from the site showed abandoned footwear, toppled fencing, and panic-stricken individuals struggling to breathe amid the chaos.
Moral Responsibility and Resignations
In the aftermath, A Shankar and E S Jairam submitted their resignations on Thursday night to KSCA President Raghuram Bhat. In a joint statement, the duo said:
“Due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days, and though our role was very limited, we wish to state that we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.”
Their exit has been widely interpreted as a gesture of accountability amid public anger, even though both officials have insisted that crowd and gate management was not within KSCA’s purview for this event.
Accountability in Question
In court submissions, KSCA clarified that the organisation had originally sought permission to host the celebration at Vidhan Soudha, not M Chinnaswamy Stadium. They argued that logistical decisions — including crowd control and entry management — were handled by law enforcement and the event management agency.
Despite these claims, the sheer scale of the tragedy has led to major repercussions. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and several other officials have been suspended. The event management company DNA and its associates, including RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale, were arrested on Friday following an FIR registered in connection to the stampede.
Unfolding Legal Drama: A Complaint Against Virat Kohli
Adding fuel to the fire, a complaint was also lodged against former RCB captain Virat Kohli by social activist HM Venkatesh. The complaint alleges that Kohli, by endorsing and promoting IPL — which the activist calls a form of “gambling” — indirectly encouraged a mass gathering that led to the disaster.
However, police sources have stated that no FIR has been registered against Kohli so far, and the claim is being treated with caution.
Government’s Delayed Response and Reaction
Following confirmation of the deaths, the Karnataka government issued orders to wrap up the ongoing celebrations inside the stadium within 10 minutes — which the organisers reportedly complied with. Many citizens, however, have criticized both the state administration and the RCB management for proceeding with any celebrations after news of the fatalities had surfaced.
A Wake-Up Call for Crowd Management in India
This tragedy brings to light a pressing issue — the lack of preparedness and infrastructure to manage massive crowds at celebratory events in India. Despite hosting IPL matches with large audiences for years, this incident exposed serious lapses in safety protocols, communication, and emergency response.
A professional cricket franchise like RCB must bear a share of responsibility for mobilizing crowds without ensuring adequate safety measures were in place. Similarly, state agencies and event managers failed to account for the scale of public turnout, especially following a historic sporting moment.
The Road Ahead: Investigations and Reforms
As investigations unfold and more arrests are made, one hopes this painful incident prompts cricketing bodies, event organisers, and state governments across India to rethink their approach to public events. Accountability must go beyond moral gestures — it must translate into systemic change.
A multi-agency probe, including judicial oversight, is the need of the hour to determine where exactly the failure occurred. Moreover, this event must serve as a blueprint for enforcing crowd safety norms in future large-scale gatherings — be it sporting, political, or cultural.
In Memory of the Fallen
Eleven lives were lost not in a war, disaster, or accident — but in a moment of joy that turned tragic due to negligence. Their names, faces, and stories deserve to be remembered — and justice for them must come not only through punishment but through meaningful reform.