Bengaluru stampede: 44-days after title triumph, RCB go from heroes to accused

On the 3rd of June, the city of Bengaluru celebrated Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL title triumph late into the night. A day later, a pall of gloom enveloped those very streets.

44-days later, the Karnataka government tabled before the cabinet the report of a judicial commission that it had formed to conduct an injury into the deadly stampede that led to the death of 11 fans outside the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.

In little over a month, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has gone from the darlings of the nation to an organisation accused of having caused deaths due to negligence.

Findings of the commission

The one-man commission, led by retired High Court judge Michael D’Cunha, found the event organisers as responsible for causing the stamped. Also, police officers, including former Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda was found responsible.

Per the report, the root cause for the stampeded has been identified as mishandling of the entry gates of the stadium.

“Not regulating the entry into the gates and making reckless announcements with regard to the entry into the stadium,” was cited as a critical lapse.

The report also highlighted the fact that large crowds gathered after RCB’s social media posts.

“A huge crowd had gathered at the venue in response to the post made by RCB on its official social media handle by way of two posts at 7.01am and 8am. Though the general public were invited for the proposed event in large numbers, the details as to the manner of entry to the stadium was not specified even after the crowd surged at the stadium, and the crowd was not directed to the respective gates,” the report observed.

Additionally, the report found that security arrangements from the police was “inadequate and ineffective to mee the exigency.”

Why is RCB being hauled up?

Per a 2009 order, public gathering must be licensed 7 days in advance. RCB and the KSCA had not made a formal request to obtain this license.

The only piece of communication issued to the police was a letter issued on the 3rd of June, ahead of the toss of the final, by the KSCA (authored on its behalf by the event management company DNA) to the police inspector of Cubbon Park Police Station. The letter mentioned an intent to hold a victory celebration should RCB win the title.

After the title was won, RCB’s social media handles went on overdrive.

At 7.01am, RCB’s handles confirmed that a victory parade will commence on the 4th at Vidhana Soudha at 3.30pm. At 8.00am, another post confirmed a victory celebration at the “home of the champions,” which translated to the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.

Incidentally, Virat Kohli is named in the report owing to a video posted at 8.55am where he says wishes to “celebrate with the city.”

Further, at 3.14pm, another post states that fans will require passes to enter the stadium. The commission, finds all of these posts as having contributed to the vast number of fans assembling outside the Vidhana Soudha and at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.

Additionally, public announcements were made on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha asking fans to move to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium right after the official ceremony that felicitated the RCB squad.

Who are the prime accused?

“Appropriate legal action” has now been recommended by the commission against representative of Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd, DNA Entertainment Networks (the event management company), the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and five police officers who have been suspended in the aftermath of the stampede.

‘This situation was created by the organisers themselves due to the lack of preparation and hasty decision, which tantamount to recklessness bordering or grass negligence, for which the organisers should be made accountable,” the commission reported.

Therefore, legal action has now been recommended against the following:

- Raghuram Bhat, President of KSCA; A. Shankar, Ex-Secretary of KSCA; and Jairam E.S, ex-treasurer of KSCA

- Rajesh Menon, Vice-President of Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd

- T. Venkat Vardhan, MD, DNA Entertainment Networks, and Sunil Mathur, Vice-President of DNA Entertainment Networks

- B. Dayananda, ADGP, former Commissioner of Police; Vikash Kumar, former Additional Commissioner of Police (West); Shekhar HT, former DCP Central Division; C. Balakrishna, former CVP, Cubbon Park Station; Girish A.K, former inspector, Cubbon Park Station.

RCB fans blame the government

The findings of the commission do not come as a surprise to fans, who view the ruling government as an entity that could have prevented the mishap.

“The government first made the police a scapegoat and now, it has conveniently blamed RCB for the mess,” says Mohan, a fitness instructor and loyal RCB fan, told The Bridge.

Kunal, an IT-professional, feels that it was impossible for the commission to find the government as fault. “The commission was set up by the government and so, there is no way that the government will blame itself for the mismanagement,” he said.

For Arnav, a college student who was present at the Vidhana Soudha when the government felicitated the RCB, the state government could have easily pulled the plug on the event but did not.

“The chief minister could have very easily made an announcement asking fans to disperse in an orderly fashion. But he did not cancel the event and allowed the deputy chief minister to partake in the celebrations at the stadium.”

After RCB’s title triumph and notwithstanding the deaths in the stampede, RCB’s brand value and net worth has only soared – to over $140 million (INR 1216 crore) as per media reports. This reportedly makes it the most valuable franchise in the history of the IPL.