'Without necessary permissions': Karnataka govt blames RCB for June 4 stampede; Virat Kohli's video mentioned in report

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government, in its status report, has placed the onus on the management of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricket team for the large congregation of people outside the gates of the M Chinnaswamy stadium, leading to a stampede resulting in 11 deaths on June 4, 2025.

The status report filed in the sealed cover, now revealed pursuant to the orders of the division bench hearing the suo motu PIL on the stampede incident, also mentioned the video clip of cricketer Virat Kohli uploaded by the RCB in one of the posts on social media.

"The RCB Management, in association with its event management partner, DNA Networks Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), unilaterally decided to hold the victory celebration without prior consultation with the police and without obtaining the necessary permissions or licence for such celebrations,” the status report said.

The report further said that the posts on RCB' s official social media handles garnered immense engagement online, with the first post receiving approximately 16 lakh views, the second post receiving approximately 4.26 lakh views, the third post receiving approximately 7.6 lakh views, and the fourth post receiving approximately 17 lakh views.

“Subsequently, on 04.06.2025, at 8:55 am, the RCB shared a video clip of Virat Kohli, a prominent player of the RCB team, on RCB's official handle @ Rcbtweets on X, in which he stated that the team intended to celebrate this victory with the people of Bengaluru city and RCB fans on 04.06.2025 in Bengaluru,” the report said.

According to the state government, including those who travelled on foot, used public transport, and private means, the estimated gathering was well beyond 3,00,000 individuals on June 4.

The report said that it was only at around 3.14 pm on June 4 that the RCB/DNA/organisers published a post on their official social media accounts for the first time clarifying that entry to the stadium would require limited pass entry (free passes). This created confusion, frustration, and chaos among the public who had already gathered at the stadium and were in high emotions, the status report said.

The report further said that a mere intimation was given by the organizers seeking permission to hold victory celebrations. “There was no requisition for permissions in the prescribed format, nor was any necessary information provided to the concerned departments to anticipate the gathering and make adequate preparations , as per the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009,” the state government said.