Bengaluru Stampede: BCCI To Convene Apex Council Meeting To Discuss RCB's Victory Celebration- Report

Add as a preferred source on Google

Bengaluru Stampede: In the aftermath of the tragic stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore's IPL title celebrations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to hold an apex council meeting to address the issue.

The meeting, scheduled for June 14, aims to evaluate how the event was handled and lay down new protocols to prevent such tragedies in the future.

The fatal incident, which occurred outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, claimed the lives of eleven individuals and left several others injured. Lakhs of fans had gathered to witness the team's first-ever IPL title celebration after their triumph on June 3 in Ahmedabad.

"BCCI will call an apex council meeting on June 14 to discuss the IPL celebration and formulate new norms. The meeting could be held virtually," a senior BCCI official told ANI.

Following their title win, the RCB players returned to Bengaluru the next day for a series of celebratory events. An open-bus victory parade was initially planned, but city police reportedly denied permission for the procession due to security concerns. The team was instead felicitated at Vidhana Soudha by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, after which they headed to the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where captain Rajat Patidar and star batter Virat Kohli addressed a sea of supporters.

It was during this gathering that chaos erupted outside the stadium gates, leading to the deadly stampede. Bengaluru police have since registered an FIR against the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), the RCB franchise, and the event management firm involved in organizing the event. An investigation is currently underway.

As per PTI, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha, who is overseeing the magisterial probe into the tragedy, has recorded statements from several injured individuals and conducted a site inspection of the stadium the following day. He has committed to submitting a detailed report to the state government within a 15-day period.

Meanwhile, political discussions have also intensified following the incident. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar recently met Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi to brief them on the situation. Siddaramaiah, distancing the government from the organization of the event, said he was notified at a later stage and emphasized that the state was not directly responsible for the stadium function.

With public outcry growing and the need for accountability mounting, the BCCI's upcoming meeting will be a crucial step toward addressing safety concerns and reshaping future celebration protocols across cricketing events in India.