- Royal Challengers Bengaluru denies responsibility for stampede outside Chinnaswamy stadium
- Central Administrative Tribunal blamed RCB for not seeking police permission for the event
- CAT report criticised RCB for failing to follow safety procedures and informing police
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru has strongly objected to the claim of the Central Administrative Tribunal that it was responsible for the stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy stadium in which 11 people were killed and 56 injured. The RCB told the Karnataka High Court today that it wants statements to this effect expunged from the report.
"It was the Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, who had picked the team from the airport, and took them to the Vidhan Soudha, where announcements were made about the event at the stadium," RCB's advocate Sandesh Chouta told the court.
"We wanted the paragraph 23-27 in the CAT orders to be expunged... CAT puts the blame on RCB when we were not even party to the case. There were unnecessary observations, principles of natural justice violated, you cannot have findings against someone without hearing them, we have a right to reputation under Article 21... this gets affected when such observations are made," he told NDTV later.
The CAT Order
The Central Administrative Tribunal order on the June 4 stampede has said after their maiden IPL win, the champions had failed to consult the police or seek their permission before "unilaterally" inviting lakhs of people to the celebration at the stadium.
The report had also highlighted the RCB's failure to follow standard operating procedures to ensure safety before hosting a public event.
"Prima facie it appears that the RCB is responsible for the gathering of about three to five lakh people. The RCB did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the Police. Suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result of aforesaid information the public were gathered. Because of shortage of time on 04.06.2026, the Police was unable to do the appropriate arrangements. Sufficient time was not given to the Police. The public was available in the whole night intervening 3rd to 4th June, 2025 on the streets of Bengaluru and Police was doing the management of aforesaid public," the report had said.
"Another function was also organised by the State Government in the campus of the "Vidhana Soudha". The police was also deputed at that place. Suddenly, the RCB created the aforesaid type of nuisance without any prior permission. It cannot expected from the police that within a short time of about 12 hours... (they) will make all arrangements... Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither "God" (Bhagwan) nor Magician... To control the aforesaid type of gathering and for making the proper arrangements sufficient time should be given to the police," the report had added.
The RCB Should-Have Done List
The team was expected to make proper applications to the police - providing information about the size of the expected crowd, timings, parking arrangements and bottlenecks in the area ahead of the event. The government earlier said the RCB had only informed the police about a "victory parade" on city streets and provided no further details.
The Karnataka High Court had rejected the state government's request to keep the report confidential and it was made public this morning.
The Police Argument
Shortly after the stampede, the state had also accused the police of not making adequate preparations to handle the event and suspended three top officers, including the city police chief -- accusing them of "dereliction of duty".
Today, the counsel for IPS officer Vikash Kumar argued that because a scapegoat has to be found for the tragedy, the officers were picked for the role. "The suspension has to be following a disciplinary inquiry, but this never happened, the suspension was a measure of punishment... a show of accountability," he argued.
The Stampede
Eleven people died and 47 were injured during the stampede during the felicitation of the RCB players after they won their maiden IPL tournament.
Lakhs of fans, who had waited 18 years to see the day, had gathered at the Chinnaswamy stadium and made a beeline for the gate after the RCB announced that entry was free.
The state government had faced massive criticism of mismanagement. Initial inquiry indicated that contrary to the government's claim that the event was a last-minute plan, the RCB had posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the felicitation on June 4.
It created a logistical nightmare for the police with the forces spread too thin on the ground - a contingent had to be posted outside the Vidhan Soudha where the Chief Minister and other dignitaries waited.
