By Rakshit Aggarwal | aggrakshit@gmail.com Less than 24 hours after Virat Kohli lifted his maiden IPL title with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) — a moment 18 years in the making — tragedy struck outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. While the victorious team was being honored inside, chaos erupted outside, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people and injuries to over 47 others. Despite the escalating situation, the felicitation ceremony continued inside the venue. This has led to serious questions: Why did Bengaluru host the celebrations without adequate preparation? And who is truly responsible — RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), or the state government? The Celebration That Turned into a Catastrophe RCB’s long-awaited IPL win sparked euphoria across the city, with thousands of fans taking to the streets to celebrate. To mark the historic victory, a celebratory event was organized near the stadium on Wednesday, June 4. However, the gathering spiraled out of control as lakhs of fans flooded the vicinity. A stampede ensued, claiming eleven lives and injuring dozens more — a grim aftermath to what was supposed to be a jubilant moment. A Failure in Planning? The tragedy has triggered widespread outrage over the lack of foresight and inadequate crowd management. Why was the victory parade held the very next day after the final? Could it not have been postponed to ensure safety and better organization? Former KSCA president Sanjay Desai, speaking on a television news program, placed the blame squarely on both the KSCA and RCB. “An event of this scale requires at least 8–10 days of planning,” he said, adding, “The KSCA is affiliated with the BCCI, so the board cannot wash its hands of this either.” “RCB Initiated the Event” – State Home Minister Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara distanced the government from the incident, clarifying that the initiative to hold the event came from RCB and the KSCA. “We didn’t propose or request the celebration. It was their decision. Since RCB is based in Bengaluru, we felt it appropriate to support the event, but the idea and execution were entirely theirs,” he told the media. The Deputy CM Attends, Then Downplays the Incident Adding fuel to public frustration was the presence of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the felicitation ceremony. Not only did he attend the event, but he also downplayed the tragedy afterward. “It was just a 10-minute event,” he said, attempting to justify the gathering. He echoed the Chief Minister’s earlier statement that the turnout was unexpectedly large. Such remarks have been widely criticized for their insensitivity and for failing to acknowledge the administrative failures that led to the stampede. Police Had Warned Organizers — But Were Ignored A report by Deccan Herald revealed that Bengaluru police had specifically advised against holding the celebration on Wednesday. A senior police official stated, “We tried to convince both the RCB and the state government to delay the celebrations until Sunday. We warned them that the crowd could become unmanageable.” The police had also recommended a stationary event at one location rather than a public procession. “Bring the players to the stadium and wrap it up there,” the official said. However, the organizers insisted on proceeding with the Wednesday event, citing travel plans of the players, particularly international ones. The official further remarked, “The government likely saw political mileage in the celebration. But had they denied permission outright, they feared a backlash from the public and media.” Confusion over Free Passes Originally, an open-top bus parade was planned from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium. But at 1:00 PM, due to traffic concerns, officials announced its cancellation. The team would instead meet the Chief Minister at Vidhana Soudha and then head directly to Chinnaswamy Stadium. Despite this change, RCB's official X (formerly Twitter) account continued to promote the event, inviting fans to attend the “Victory Parade” at 5:00 PM. A tweet at 3:14 PM stated: “RCB Victory Parade: Today at 5 PM IST. The parade will be followed by a celebration at Chinnaswamy Stadium. We urge fans to follow police guidelines to ensure a peaceful event.” Though RCB mentioned that entry would be limited to valid pass holders, they also distributed links to complimentary passes — a move that arguably triggered an even larger crowd. With no clear barricades or crowd control mechanisms in place, the event quickly devolved into chaos. BCCI and IPL Wash Their Hands BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia acknowledged there had been lapses. “I believe some mistakes were made. The authorities in Bengaluru must investigate this thoroughly. No one should escape accountability.” However, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal denied any responsibility, stating that the IPL officially concluded on Tuesday night and the board had no role in post-tournament events. “We weren’t informed about any felicitation ceremony. We express our condolences, but the IPL or BCCI cannot be blamed for something beyond our control,” Dhumal told India Today. A Celebration That Wasn’t Worth the Risk As public anger mounts and investigations begin, one question resonates more than any other: Was the celebration of a cricketing achievement worth the loss of eleven lives? This wasn’t just a logistical failure — it was a complete collapse of communication, accountability, and common sense. The RCB franchise, state authorities, and KSCA may each deflect blame, but the facts remain: prior warnings were ignored, crowd control was absent, and lives were lost due to preventable negligence. The celebrations that were meant to unite a city have now left a deep scar on its conscience.
