The Karnataka High Court has ordered the state government to publicly release its status report on the tragic stampede that occurred on June 4 outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL celebrations. The incident, which occurred after RCB's IPL victory parade, resulted in the deaths of 11 people and left over 50 others injured.
Despite the state's request to keep the report confidential, the court ruled on Monday, July 14, that there were no valid legal grounds for secrecy. The court emphasized that the report only contained "facts as perceived" by the government, and thus it should be shared. Furthermore, the court directed the government to provide the report to the respondents in the case, including RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and DNA Entertainment Networks, the franchise's event partners.
The tragic stampede occurred after RCB's social media announcement of the victory parade following their first IPL title win on June 3. The franchise's appeal for a public celebration resulted in an overwhelming turnout, with estimates suggesting a crowd size of approximately three to five lakh people. The crowd control situation quickly escalated, leading to the tragic incident.
Meanwhile, RCB is awaiting the results of a thorough CID investigation into the incident. Key members of RCB's management, as well as representatives from DNA Entertainment Networks, have submitted their testimonies. While a set date for the judgment is yet to be released, RCB has yet to issue further statements beyond announcing compensation for the victims and pledging to help affected families through the establishment of a fund called RCB Cares.
Additionally, on July 1, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) made significant observations about the event. The tribunal's report noted that RCB was responsible for attracting a massive crowd to the stadium without securing necessary permissions, thereby creating a situation that spiraled "out of control." This observation followed the dismissal of Vikash Kumar, Bengaluru's Inspector General, and four other officials for "substantial dereliction of duty."
RCB’s Chief Marketing Officer, Nikhil Sosale, was arrested and later granted bail last month in connection with the incident. Since the tragedy, RCB has refrained from commenting further, and there has been no update on their social media channels since June 4.