What should have been a festive celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League (IPL) title has instead plunged the city into mourning. On June 4, 2025, a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in the death of 11 people and left at least 50 others injured. The incident has been met with public outrage and a wave of administrative action, including the suspension of senior police officials and arrests of event organizers.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, visibly emotional during a press briefing, called the tragedy a “colossal failure of public safety systems” and announced the immediate suspension of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand, Additional Commissioner Vikash Kumar Vikash, and DCP Shekhar H. Tekkannavar.
The government also ordered the arrest of key personnel involved in organizing the event, including representatives from DNA Entertainment Networks, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and RCB’s logistics team. These individuals face charges under sections of the Indian Penal Code related to negligence and public endangerment.
According to preliminary reports, the crowd began to gather from 4:00 AM onward, with some fans having camped overnight. However, crowd barriers were insufficient, and key metro stations nearby were closed, funneling thousands toward narrow entry gates. Police officials on site were overwhelmed and reportedly did not have backup or coordination from other departments.
“Thousands were funneled through a single route with no clear signage, no medical response units on standby, and no prior crowd mapping,” said a senior officer with the CID, now investigating the case. “This was an unmitigated disaster.”
The state has announced an ex gratia payment of ₹10 lakh for each of the deceased and full coverage of treatment for the injured. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced the formation of a judicial commission led by retired Justice Michael Cunha to conduct a time-bound inquiry.
Eyewitnesses described horrifying scenes. “There were screams and people falling all around me. I saw a boy, maybe 10 or 11, crushed under people’s feet,” said Shalini Prasad, a survivor who attended with her younger brother.
The tragedy has triggered fierce political fallout. Opposition leaders have accused the Congress-led government of rushing into a public event without ensuring public safety. BJP leaders demanded CM Siddaramaiah take “moral responsibility” and resign.
“This is not just an event gone wrong; this is murder by negligence,” said BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. “Why were warnings not heeded? Why did the police not have a crisis plan?”
Event safety specialists have pointed out that standard safety audits for large public events appear to have been bypassed. “You need zoning, crowd movement modeling, trained marshals, and at least three evacuation routes for an event like this,” said Anupama Desai, a risk assessment expert.
In response, the government has pledged to establish a dedicated Public Event Regulation Authority to oversee future high-risk gatherings in the state.
As families conduct final rites for loved ones lost in the stampede, the mood in Bengaluru is somber and angry. In the coming weeks, all eyes will be on the Justice Cunha commission’s findings, which are expected to lay out systemic changes needed to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
