RCB breaks silence on Bengaluru stampede

For the first time in three months following the Bengaluru stampede, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday shared a message for their fans, saying, “The silence wasn’t absence. It was grief.”

On June 4, 11 people died and over 50 were injured in a stampede outside M Chinnaswamy stadium, where nearly three lakh people had gathered to celebrate RCB’s maiden IPL trophy win.

In a post on X, the IPL franchise said the silence since the tragedy had been a period of grieving, learning, and building a platform to support fans. “We return to this space today, not with celebration but with care. To share. To stand with you. To walk forward, together,” RCB said.

Earlier, a two-person bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) held RCB “responsible” for the massive gathering, noting that neither the franchise nor its event management firm had sought police permission for the celebrations. The tribunal defended police personnel, saying they are human beings and not capable of fulfilling impossible expectations.

After the stampede, the Karnataka government had suspended four top police officers. The state has now revoked their suspension, pending disciplinary proceedings. The reinstated officers include Additional Director General of Police B. Dayananda, IPS Shekar H. Tekkannavar, Deputy Superintendent of Police C. Balakrishna, and Police Inspector A.K. Girish.

The Justice John Michael Cunha Commission, which investigated the stampede, has declared M Chinnaswamy stadium “unsuitable and unsafe” for large-scale events.