What began as a joyous celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans quickly turned tragic when a stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in 11 fatalities and 33 injuries. The occurrence overshadowed RCB’s first Indian Premier League (IPL) title victory celebrations just hours after the team’s win. Many are questioning the rationale behind hosting such a significant event so soon after the tournament’s conclusion. Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has called for accountability, asserting that RCB made a grave error in judgment.
Despite the horrific news, RCB management continued with the celebration inside the stadium, featuring short speeches from players like Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli. Although RCB stated they shortened the festivities upon learning of the stampede, discussions persist regarding the appropriateness of the lavish event immediately following their victory.
This incident marks the first time an IPL victory parade of this magnitude was planned. Madan Lal, a member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning squad, criticized RCB for the hastiness of the celebrations, suggesting a delay of two to three days would have been wiser. “It’s extremely unfortunate that 11 lives were lost; this tragedy should never have happened. It was completely avoidable. You celebrated in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night. What was the rush for holding celebrations in Bengaluru?” he remarked.
Madan Lal also emphasized that RCB’s decision to proceed with the celebrations quickly was a mistake. Although he acknowledged the state government’s partial responsibility for the incident, he argued that RCB cannot evade its role. “Who is to blame — RCB or the government? The government is definitely accountable, but RCB is also at fault,” he stated. He questioned the urgency of the public celebration just four hours after the team arrived back in Bengaluru.
It’s important to note that Bengaluru Traffic Police had denied permission for a victory parade. Reports suggest that RCB management continued to lobby for approval to hold a parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium.
Madan Lal firmly stated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) holds no blame for the incident and stressed that the responsibility lay with RCB. “Who’s going to take care of the families who lost someone during the stampede?” he implored. He expressed dismay over how the chaos has tainted the victory. “All that joy and celebration now feels hollow and ruined. There was absolutely no need to organize a celebration in such haste. There was a significant communication gap, and sadly, in our country, human lives continue to be undervalued,” he added.
Original Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/rcb-shown-no-mercy-ipl-champions-shredded-after-stampede-outside-chinnaswamy-claims-11-lives-owner-made-big-mistake-101749053256003.html
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Publish Date: 2025-06-05 06:14:00
