Virat Kohli and RCB main reason for Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka Govt
Virat Kohli: The Karnataka government has indeed blamed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and has specifically mentioned a video featuring Virat Kohli as a contributing factor to the stampede that occurred during their IPL victory celebrations on June 4, 2025. Virat Kohli and RCB main reason for Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka Govt.
Karnataka Government’s Allegations:
The government’s report, submitted to the High Court, states that RCB unilaterally decided to host the victory parade and celebration without obtaining prior police permissions or proper coordination. They merely “informed” the police about a potential celebration rather than applying formally.
Social Media Callouts and Virat Kohli’s Video: A key point of contention is RCB’s use of social media to promote the event.
Despite police denying permission for a gathering at Cubbon Park, RCB made public posts starting at 7:01 AM on June 4, inviting fans to a “Victory Parade” from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium. Crucially, at 8:55 AM, a video featuring Virat Kohli inviting fans was posted, which the government claims further fueled public excitement and contributed to the massive turnout.
Subsequent posts, including one at 3:14 PM announcing “limited free passes,” created confusion and a rush, as lakhs of people had already gathered.
Exceeding Capacity: The report highlights that posts by RCB drew over 4.4 million views, leading to an estimated crowd of over 300,000, significantly overshooting the Chinnaswamy Stadium’s capacity of 35,000.
Poor Planning and Mismanagement: The government’s report points to disorganized gate management, failure to open certain gates on time, and a complete breakdown of basic security measures and crowd-control mechanisms. This triggered panic and stampede-like situations at multiple entry points, with several gates being broken open by the desperate crowd.
Continuing the Event Despite Chaos: While authorities allowed the event to continue for a shorter duration, the report explains this decision as necessary to prevent wider unrest and “mob violence” that could have resulted from an abrupt cancellation.
Impact of Virat Kohli’s Video:
The government explicitly cited Virat Kohli’s video clip, posted on RCB’s official social media handles, as a significant factor in encouraging fans to gather. In the video, Kohli reportedly expressed his excitement to “celebrate this victory with the people of Bengaluru city and RCB fans on 04.06.2025 in Bengaluru.” This direct appeal from a highly influential player like Kohli is seen by the government as having played a major role in mobilizing the overwhelming crowd.
FIRs have been filed against RCB, its event organizers (DNA Entertainment Networks), and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Some arrests, including RCB’s marketing head, Nikhil Sosale, have also been made.
Bengaluru’s police commissioner and other key police officials have been suspended, and a one-man judicial commission led by retired Justice John Michael D’Cunha is probing the incident. The commission’s report has reportedly also blamed the KSCA, RCB, and police for lapses.
