Indian cricket has been rocked by the events at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL 2025 victory parade, provoking a fierce discourse about responsibilities, public safety and potential suspensions of the franchise in the next 2026 IPL season.
In what should have been a celebratory moment, 11 were killed and countless others injured outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, in the aftermath of the parade, and the fallout is intense on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as it potentially has huge ramifications on an organisation that is accountable at a public level.
The Incident and Its Aftermath
On 4 June, 2025 thousands of supporters gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate RCB’s inaugural IPL title. The team, led by icon Virat Kohli, had just won the title against Punjab Kings in the final in Ahmedabad, and there was a city-wide gathering of happy people. But as the crowd continued to build, the situation rapidly got out of control.
Overcrowding, lack of police presence, and lack of enforcement of crowd control mechanisms caused an unfortunate stampede. Eyewitness accounts described scenes of chaos; no exits could be found, no medical response teams were seen, and a complete failure of administrative coordination. National outrage ensued, with immediate political and administrative fallout.
The two senior Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials resigned, and an FIR was filed against RCB, the event management company DNA Entertainment, and the KSCA for negligence. The head of marketing for RCB’s parent company, Diageo, was arrested by Bengaluru police.
Calls for Accountability and Reform
In the aftermath of the tragedy, there have been calls for resignations at the top of the state government, and demands for strict action against those responsible. Political opposition has capitalized on the tragedy, drawing attention to the systemic failings of crowd management and public safety protocols. The BCCI, despite their initial distancing of the tragedy, referring to the event as a franchise program, have finally recognized the seriousness of the tragedy, and claimed to take action aimed at preventing it from occurring again.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that they “will not be a silent spectator”, and will explore a formal set of guidelines on large scale celebrations moving forward. He pointed out that while the celebrations were being privately organized, the outcome could not be separated from the broader ecostructure of the sport. “It was a private affair of RCB, but we at the BCCI are responsible for cricket in India, and we will try to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future,” he said.
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Could RCB Face an IPL Ban?
As of this moment, there has been no word at all official or un-official about any proposed punishment or ban orders from the BCCI towards RCB. The investigations continue, yet they will determine if, and what action is taken. Thus far, the board is saying it will be discussing deterrent actions sometime in the future. However, when those discussions turn from talk to actions, there is no timetable or plan in place.
In the past, the BCCI has not shied away from banning franchises for inappropriate conduct. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were both banned in 2016 and 2017 for two seasons, for spot-fixing and betting, respectively. However, this present case is more serious, with the loss of human life involved. There is a need for the BCCI to be seen to be taking action, and to set a precedent to show there are limitations before the board will allow major failures to happen.
The Broader Implications
The tragedy has also prompted a broader conversation about the purpose and safety of mass public events. India head coach Gautam Gambhir has voiced strong opposition to open-road celebrations, stating, “I think the lives of people are far more important… Winning is important, celebrations are important, but more important than that is the life of any person. So if we are not prepared, or if we cannot handle the crowd in that way, then might as well these roadshows should not take place”.
Conclusion
The Bengaluru stampede will likely haunt RCB’s historic win in IPL and place them and the BCCI under scrutiny. The talk of RCB being banned from IPL in 2026 is speculative at this stage and no decisions have been made. The BCCI is expected to wait for the results of the investigation before proceeding with a decision. Regardless of their decision, this incident will almost certainly create changes in how cricket celebrations of this scale are handled in India moving forward, with a focus on legitimate liability and public safety going forward.
Written By Smita Singh
