Bengaluru Stampede: IPL Chairman Makes Shocking Revelation, Says BCCI Unaware of Karnataka Government’s Plans to Felicitate RCB

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Bengaluru Stampede: In the wake of the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebration, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal expressed deep sorrow and emphasized that the BCCI had no prior knowledge about the event being planned.

"This is a very unfortunate incident... We had no information that such an event was being planned... If such events are planned in the future, then proper arrangements should be made... Those who were sitting inside the stadium had no information about the incident," Dhumal told ANI, highlighting a lack of coordination and communication regarding the event that drew nearly 3 lakh fans.

The tragedy occurred on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, when a massive crowd gathered outside the stadium to witness RCB's maiden IPL title celebration. The stadium, which has a seating capacity of 35,000, quickly became overwhelmed as thousands attempted to force their way in. The resulting chaos led to a deadly stampede.

Most of the victims were young fans under the age of 40, with many traveling from nearby towns and cities to be part of what was meant to be a historic celebration. Among the deceased were Sahana (25), a techie from Kolar; Akshata (27); Manoj (33); Shravan K.T. (20); Devi (29); Shivaling (17); and Chinmayi (19). Others identified include Divyanshi, Bhoomik, and Poornachand.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar earlier confirmed that the incident resulted from a combination of poor crowd control and lack of proper planning. Confusion also arose from conflicting announcements about the nature and timing of the event, with initial reports denying a parade and later social media posts confirming it.

The BCCI is now under pressure to ensure that all future public cricket-related events are coordinated with local authorities and communicated clearly to avoid such disasters.

As the city of Bengaluru mourns this shocking loss, questions remain about accountability and the need for stronger crowd management protocols.