When RCB won the first trophy in 18 years, it was supposed to be a day of joy and celebration. Unfortunately, that wasn’t meant to be, as it turned into one of the darkest days in Indian cricket. RCB’s felicitation event at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ended in a horrific stampede.
Eleven people lost their lives, and several others were injured. Days after the incident, resignations have begun, blame is being shared, and a deep sense of loss still lingers in the city. Sadly, a stampede broke out during the celebrations, claiming 11 innocent lives and injuring many others. What organizers meant to bring people together in happiness ended in heartbreak and grief.
KSCA Officials resign in the wake of Bengaluru Stampede
In the days that followed, people began holding others accountable. On June 7, KSCA secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned from their positions. They made their joint decision just a day after KSCA and RCB approached the Karnataka High Court concerning FIRs filed against them related to the stampede.
Though they said they played a limited role in the incident, Shankar and Jairam chose to step down and accept moral responsibility for the tragedy. They submitted their resignations on the night of June 6 to the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
While their resignation shows they want to take responsibility, poor event management remains the bigger issue. Thousands gathered, many without passes, and tried to gain entry. Officials provided little crowd control and no clear communication, which caused panic to spread quickly, leading to deadly chaos.
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What hurts most is that negligence caused this disaster, which could have been prevented in the first place. Fans came to celebrate and support their team, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a horrific experience.
Meanwhile, the investigators have moved forward with several arrests, including members of the event management firm and RCB’s marketing head. Some have even questioned players’ roles and filed complaints against former RCB captain Virat Kohli.
But this tragedy should not focus only on blame. It serves as a serious reminder that organizing big events carries huge responsibility. No amount of excitement or emotion should ever risk human lives.