On 4th June 2025, hundreds of thousands of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans gathered outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate the team’s historic IPL victory. However, the jubilant celebration turned tragic when a massive crowd surge led to a stampede, injuring over 47 people and claiming the lives of 11 individuals.
Investigation Report Highlights Gross Negligence
The official report, prepared by retired High Court Justice Michael D’Cunha, has uncovered a disturbing pattern of negligence and mismanagement by key stakeholders including RCB, DNA Entertainment Networks, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
Key Findings of the Report
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Gross Negligence: A complete lack of professional event planning and disregard for public safety.
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Poor Planning: No coordinated planning with civic agencies, and a failure to anticipate the massive turnout.
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Inadequate Safety Infrastructure: Absence of basic crowd control mechanisms such as barricades, emergency exits, medical stations, and proper queuing systems.
Government and Court Response
The Karnataka government has accepted the report’s findings and is expected to initiate disciplinary and legal actionagainst the parties responsible. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a ₹10 lakh compensation for each victim’s family and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
The Karnataka High Court, emphasizing the need for transparency, has ordered the public release of the report, rejecting the government’s plea to keep it confidential. The court clarified that the report does not pose any threat to national security or public interest.
The court has also directed the government to share the report with RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment Networks so they can present their accounts and cooperate with the inquiry process.
Public Reaction and Call for Reform
The release of the report is seen as a major step towards accountability and justice. Public outrage and grief have fueled demands for strict enforcement of crowd safety norms at large-scale public events. RCB fans and citizens of Bengaluru have urged authorities to ensure such tragedies never happen again.
