HM Venkatesh, a social activist from Shivamogga, filed a complaint naming cricketer Virat Kohli. He alleged that Kohli exerted undue pressure on the RCB management to organize the parade hastily the day after the IPL final so he could fulfil personal travel plans.
Published Jun 07, 2025 | 10:13 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 07, 2025 | 10:14 AM
The tragic stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Synopsis: The 4 June stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium left 11 dead, prompting FIRs against RCB, event organizers, KSCA, and a complaint against Virat Kohli. Victims cited mismanagement and misinformation. Political fallout ensued, with BJP blaming Karnataka’s government for negligence and demanding action against top ministers for the “preventable tragedy”.
The tragic stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on 4 June which claimed the lives of 11 individuals and injured dozens more, has triggered a wave of legal action, with FIRs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise, event organizers and KSCA officials, and a complaint filed against star batter Virat Kohli.
The FIRs have been registered at Cubbon Park police station.
The Bengaluru Police on Friday, 6 June, arrested RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale and three officials of the event management company DNA after questioning them at the Cubbon Park police station on Friday morning.
On 5 June, a man named Rolan Gomes lodged a detailed FIR under Section 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, naming the RCB Franchise, DNA Events Management Company, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administration as the primary accused.
According to Gomes, after RCB’s IPL 2025 victory over the Punjab Kings on 3 June, the franchise announced a victory parade via its official social media handles. It was widely reported across news channels and platforms that the event would be held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on 4 June at 3:00 PM and that entry would be open to the public, with or without tickets.
Encouraged by these reports, Gomes, along with friends Rithik and Anirudh, arrived at Gate No. 17 at around 2:15 PM.
He alleged that the narrow entry gate could not handle the surging crowd. In the rush, he fell and was trampled by others. He sustained a serious injury to his right arm and was later admitted to a Hospital as an inpatient.
Gomes has held the event organizers responsible for inadequate planning, absence of proper ticketing, and a complete lack of crowd control measures.
Another FIR was filed on 5 June by C Venu, a 21-year-old B.Com student from KR Puram, also accused the same parties—RCB Franchise, DNA Events, and KSCA—under Sections 125(a), 125(b), and 3(5) of the BNS 2023.
Venu stated that he and his friends Vasant and Pawan reached Gate No. 6 around 4:30 PM. By then, a massive crowd had already gathered. When police opened the gates around 5:00 PM, thousands surged forward in a panic. People were pushed, some fell and were trampled, and the scene turned chaotic.
In the scramble, a barricade collapsed and landed on Venu’s right leg, causing a severe injury. He was taken to Bowring Hospital for treatment.
Adding to the controversy, HM Venkatesh, a social activist from Shivamogga, filed a complaint naming cricketer Virat Kohli. He alleged that Kohli exerted undue pressure on the RCB management to organize the parade hastily the day after the IPL final so he could fulfil personal travel plans.
Venkatesh stated: “The fact that he left Bengaluru and travelled to London immediately after the deaths that took place in the stampede is further proof…”
While the veracity of these claims remains to be investigated, the complaint has stirred public opinion and added a celebrity angle to the controversy.
The Cubbon Park Police are now investigating multiple angles, including administrative lapses, crowd mismanagement, and potential misuse of public funds.
The incident has also taken on a political dimension. P Rajiv, state general secretary of BJP, filed a formal complaint accusing the Karnataka state government of negligence and politicizing a private franchise’s sporting achievement.
In his statement, Rajiv pointed out that the celebration was funded using taxpayers’ money and organized without necessary approvals or safety arrangements. He also alleged that despite intelligence inputs warning of massive public turnout and police departments working overtime, the government went ahead with the celebration.
He held Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara accountable for what he termed a “preventable disaster.”
Rajiv stated, “Royal Challengers won the IPL tournament held on 03.06.2025. There is no sponsorship or connection of the state government in the victory of this team. The intelligence department is aware that this team has crores of fans across the state. The police department is aware that the victory was celebrated and firecrackers were burst throughout the night of this team’s victory in Bangalore and across the state. The police are constantly involved in its security duties and have been on duty for more than 24 hours continuously to ensure that no untoward incident occurs.”
He has demanded legal action against the three senior ministers for their alleged role in the tragedy.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
