The Karnataka government has told the High Court that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) organised their IPL victory parade “unilaterally” and without securing mandatory police clearance — a lapse that contributed to the tragic stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives and injured over 50.
As per the official report, RCB merely informed police of their parade plans on June 3 — the day they won their first IPL title — but did not submit a formal permission request or essential details such as crowd estimates or logistical arrangements. Authorities emphasised that legal protocol requires applications to be submitted at least seven days prior.
Despite lacking clearance, RCB made social media announcements beginning at 7:01 AM on June 4, inviting fans to a free victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium. Videos featuring star player Virat Kohli further fuelled the excitement. The posts attracted massive engagement, drawing a crowd exceeding 3 lakh — far beyond the stadium’s 35,000 capacity.
Chaos erupted around 3 PM as eager fans tried forcing entry into the venue. With gates still unopened and crowd management lacking, stampedes broke out at multiple entry points. Organisers failed to coordinate timely access, prompting fans to break open gates.
The state clarified that the event wasn’t abruptly cancelled due to fear of mass unrest. A decision was taken to shorten the celebration instead, to avoid triggering city-wide violence.