Bengaluru, June 5: In a significant development, the Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the tragic stampede that occurred during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations. The incident, which claimed the lives of 11 individuals and injured many others, has prompted the court to launch a comprehensive inquiry scheduled for 2:30 PM today.
The High Court Registrar issued a formal statement announcing the hearing. The investigation aims to identify where the failure occurred and whether adequate crowd control measures were in place. The court also plans to look into the need for proper guidelines for handling large public gatherings in the future.
Background: How the Stampede Unfolded
Following RCB’s maiden IPL title win, the Karnataka government planned a grand felicitation event for the team. The event began near Vidhana Soudha, with players scheduled to travel to Chinnaswamy Stadium in an open-top bus rally.
Thousands of fans flocked to both venues to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes. While around 50,000 fans gathered at Vidhana Soudha by 3 PM, over 2.5 lakh people were estimated to be present near Chinnaswamy Stadium — far exceeding the venue’s capacity.
Breakdown in Crowd Control
Eyewitness accounts and initial police reports reveal that once the stadium gates were opened, massive crowds surged forward, pushing and shoving each other in an attempt to enter. Police officers stationed at the gates tried to check passes and tickets, which created bottlenecks and further panic among the crowd.
The stadium’s maximum seating capacity is 35,000, but reports indicate tens of thousands more tried to gain entry, overwhelming security forces and leading to chaos.
Police say they were forced to block entry at the gates to prevent a larger tragedy inside the stadium, which unfortunately triggered the deadly stampede outside.
What’s Next?
The High Court’s decision to examine the incident reflects the seriousness of the tragedy. The inquiry will assess accountability — whether on the part of event organizers, government officials, or law enforcement — and propose preventive measures for future events.
The public and families of the victims now await transparency, justice, and assurance that such an incident will not happen again.
