On June 4, a massive stampede took place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the felicitation ceremony of Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning the 'Indian Premiere League 2025' title.
Credits: DH File Photo
Nearly three months after the tragic stampede at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which claimed the lives of 11 people, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday posted an emotional message to its fans saying, "The silence wasn't absence. It was grief." The post also announced the launch of 'RCB Cares'.
'RCB Cares' is an initiative to "honour, to heal and to stand beside our fans," the note to its fans read.
"Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!
It’s been close to three months since we last posted here.
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 Cares 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.
RCB Cares. And we always will.
More details soon…"
The tragedy unfolded on 4 June, 2025, when thousands of fans gathered in and around the Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate the maiden Indian Premiere League (IPL) title of RCB. The stampede killed 11 and 56 others were left injured.
The Justice John Michael Cunha Commission investigating the June 4 stampede in its report observed that “reckless announcements” by organisers regarding entry into the stadium and not regulating the entry into the gates is the “root cause” for the stampede and the consequent deaths and injuries.