The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has held Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) “prima facie responsible” for the tragic stampede that occurred outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 4, claiming 11 lives. The chaos broke out after RCB announced a last-minute victory parade and fan engagement program following their maiden IPL title win. Nearly 2.5 lakh fans flooded MG Road and Cubbon Road near the stadium, overwhelming the authorities who had insufficient time to prepare for such an enormous crowd.
In its observation, the CAT strongly criticized the RCB management for not seeking police permission or giving prior notice before posting the parade announcement on social media. “The RCB created the aforesaid type of nuisance without any prior permission. Sufficient time was not given to the Police,” the Tribunal remarked. It further added that law enforcement, being human, couldn’t have managed a sudden crowd surge of over 3–5 lakh people without adequate preparation. The lack of planning directly contributed to the deadly stampede, according to the Tribunal.
RCB has yet to issue a public response to the CAT’s remarks. Meanwhile, the franchise has approached the Karnataka High Court to seek the quashing of the criminal case filed against them. Following the incident, both the secretary and treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) resigned amid growing criticism over the handling of the event. The Tribunal’s comments have intensified public outrage and sparked fresh demands for accountability from both RCB and the local cricketing authorities.
