RCB broke its silence after the June 4 Bengaluru stampede that killed 11, calling it “grief, not absence.” Held responsible by CAT, RCB admitted fault, while key police officers were reinstated and the stadium declared unfit for large events.
Bengaluru (Karnataka): For the first time in three months after the Bengaluru stampede, Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday shared a heartfelt message for their fans, stating that “the silence was not absent, it was grief”. On June 4, 11 people died and over 50 were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium as a massive crowd of nearly 3 lakh people had gathered to witness the victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, celebrating their maiden IPL trophy win. A two-person bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) observed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to be “responsible” for the gathering of “about three to five lakhs people” outside their home venue of M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Taking to X, RCB wrote on X, The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief. This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you enjoyed the most.. But June 4th changed everything. That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space. In that silence, we’ve been grieving. Listening. Learning. And slowly, we’ve begun to build something more than just a response. Something we truly believe in. That’s how RCB came to life. It grew out of a need to honour, to heal, and to stand beside our fans. A platform for meaningful action shaped by our community & fans. We return to this space today, not with celebration but with care. To share. To stand with you. To walk forward, together. To continue being the pride of Karnataka.
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Last month, the CAT pulled up RCB for “unilaterally” putting up information on celebrations without “obtaining the permission” or without the “consent” of the police.”The CAT order stated that neither the franchise nor its event management firm, S DNA Entertainment Network Private Limited, sought any permissions to conduct the title celebration parade at the stadium. The order came out in defence of cops, saying that they are “human beings”, “neither God (Bhagwan) nor Magician and did not have the magical powers like “Alladin ka Chirag” capable of fulfilling a wish only by rubbing a finger.” The Karnataka government has revoked the suspension of four police officers who were suspended following the M Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede.
In an order dated July 28, the Karnataka government reinstated four top officers, including two IPS officers and two Karnataka State Police Service officers, to duty, pending disciplinary proceedings against all four. The state government revoked the suspension of Additional Director General of Police B Dayananda, IPS Shekar H Tekkannavar, Deputy Superintendent of Police C Balakrishna, and Police Inspector AK Girish. Additionally, the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru has been deemed “unsuitable and unsafe” for large-scale events, according to the findings of Justice John Michael Cunha Commission that was appointed by the Karnataka government to investigate the July 4 stampede.