RCB held parade without police nod; Virat Kohli post drew massive crowd: Govt report

The revelations were made public on Thursday after the Karnataka High Court directed the government to release the findings of its inquiry.

By  Storyboard18| Jul 17, 2025 2:56 PM
The Karnataka government, in its submission to the High Court, laid blame on RCB and affiliated organisers for failing to follow basic protocols, leading to chaos in central Bengaluru.

A damning Karnataka government report has revealed that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) organised their Indian Premier League (IPL) victory parade on June 4 without securing prior police permission, resulting in a stampede that claimed 11 lives and injured over 50. The Karnataka government, in its submission to the High Court, laid blame on RCB and affiliated organisers for failing to follow basic protocols, leading to chaos in central Bengaluru.

The revelations were made public on Thursday after the Karnataka High Court directed the government to release the findings of its inquiry. Initially, the state had sought to withhold the report, citing confidentiality, but the court ruled there was no legal justification for doing so.

According to the report, RCB informed the police of a possible parade only on the evening of June 3—just hours before the event—without submitting a formal application or necessary details such as estimated crowd size, traffic arrangements, or emergency measures. This violated the standard requirement of a seven-day advance notice.

“In the absence of such information… it was not possible for the licence-granting authority to consider the request positively,” the report stated, adding that the Cubbon Park Police Station explicitly declined permission for the event due to these lapses.

Despite this, RCB went ahead with the event, publicising it widely across social media platforms. One of the most widely circulated posts featured star cricketer Virat Kohli, urging fans to join the celebration. It went live at 8:55am on June 4. A later post at 3:14pm mentioned that free passes were required, but by then, thousands had already arrived expecting open access, having seen earlier posts promising a free-for-all parade starting from Vidhana Soudha and ending at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The report highlights the massive response the announcement triggered. An estimated 3 lakh people swarmed the limited parade route and stadium, far exceeding the Chinnaswamy Stadium's capacity of 35,000. Bengaluru Metro recorded 9.66 lakh commuters that day—a spike of nearly 60% over average ridership.

Chaos ensued when fans gathered at the stadium gates, which were not opened in time. The report accuses RCB and associated organisers, including the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and DNA Networks, of “complete mismanagement” of gate operations. Gates 1, 2, and 21 were forced open by the crowd. Sporadic stampedes occurred at multiple entry points.

Police on the ground tried to manage the surging crowds, but the absence of prior coordination left them scrambling. The report notes that although officials considered calling off the event, the fear of large-scale rioting across the city forced them to proceed cautiously.

“In light of the evolving ground situation and crowd psychology, abruptly cancelling the event was deemed too risky,” the report said.

The state government concluded that the tragedy stemmed from “poor planning, lack of coordination, and the failure by RCB and affiliated organisers to follow due process.”

As the fallout continues, questions are mounting about accountability—not just within the franchise, but also in the broader event management ecosystem. While the spotlight remains on RCB’s management and their decision to announce the event without clearances, Virat Kohli’s high-profile participation in social media promotions has drawn scrutiny for amplifying turnout without clarity on safety protocols.

First Published onJul 17, 2025 2:56 PM

SPOTLIGHT

Brand MakersDigital Entertainment Summit 2025: The Highlights

The Storyboard18 Digital Entertainment Summit (DES) unpacked India's strategy for leading the digital entertainment economy, with top policymakers where they putlined how talent, technology, and governance would fuel future-ready growth.

Read More

In Photos: At DES 2025, India charts ambitious course for digital entertainment leadership

At the Storyboard18 Digital Entertainment Summit in New Delhi, policymakers and industry leaders outlined how talent, technology, and governance will drive India’s push to dominate the global entertainment economy.