A status report submitted to the Karnataka High Court has revealed that the tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, which left 11 people dead, was the result of a hastily planned and unauthorised victory parade organised by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), their event partner DNA Networks Pvt. Ltd., and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
According to the report, RCB and its partners failed to obtain formal permission for the June 4 celebration and did not provide any mandatory logistical details to authorities, despite an earlier police rejection of their request due to insufficient information.
Event Timeline & Violations:
- On June 3, just hours before the IPL final, KSCA sent an intimation — not a permission request — to Cubbon Park Police, stating that celebrations may take place if RCB won.
- Police denied permission due to:
- Lack of projected crowd size
- Missing logistics & safety plans
- Very short notice
Despite this, RCB went ahead and publicly announced a victory parade starting at 5 p.m. on June 4, via social media posts from 7:01 a.m. onwards. The final announcement at 3:14 p.m., which mentioned free passes, came far too late — crowds had already started forming.
Social media viewership data revealed the parade garnered massive attention:
- Posts had viewerships of 16 lakh, 4.26 lakh, 7.6 lakh, and 17 lakh respectively.
- BMRCL reported 9.66 lakh Metro commuters, a spike of nearly 60% over the average.
- Authorities estimate the crowd at well over 3 lakh people.
Ignored Safety Norms:
According to the report, the organisers:
- Never submitted a formal permission request as per the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions Order, 2009
- Failed to provide details such as:
- Number of attendees
- Entry and exit logistics
- Organisers’ contact details
- Security or emergency protocols
- Did not request permission for loudspeaker use
- Failed to pay for police deployment as mandated by a 2019 government order
- Made no arrangements for:
- Signage or audio communication
- Trained staff for managing entry/exit points
Police Response Despite No Coordination:
Despite the lack of planning from organisers, the Bengaluru Police took emergency action:
- A high-level meeting was convened at 10 a.m. on June 4
- Deployed:
- 4 DCPs, 6 ACPs, 23 PIs, 57 PSIs, 104 ASIs, and 462 constables
- 125 barricades, traffic diversions, and a dedicated control room were set up
- BMTC and Metro services were reinforced; ambulance routing apps were activated
- Schools in the CBD area were asked to close early
Accountability & Disciplinary Action:
The report concluded that the RCB management, DNA Networks, and KSCA showed a clear disregard for protocol and public safety. As a result, five police officials, including three senior IPS officers, were suspended by a Government Order issued on June 5, 2025:
- Bengaluru Commissioner of Police
- IG and Additional CP
- DCP
- ACP and PI of Cubbon Park division
