Karnataka blames RCB for stampede; mentions Virat Kohli in report
What's the story
The Karnataka government has blamed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for a stampede that took place during the cricket team's IPL victory parade on June 4. The incident, which happened outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, left 11 dead and many injured. In its report to the high court, the government highlighted several lapses on part of RCB and event organizer DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt Ltd.
Invitation issues
'RCB invited people to parade without...city police'
The report said RCB invited people to the parade "unilaterally" and "without consultation/permission" from city police. It added that DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt Ltd only informed police about a planned parade on June 3 but didn't seek formal permission as required under a 2009 city order. The police denied permission for the event, but RCB went ahead with promotional activity, the report said.
Video impact
'Overwhelming turnout...much more than what organizers had anticipated'
The report pointed out RCB's promotional activities on social media, including a video appeal by Virat Kohli, inviting fans to join the free-entry celebration. The administration said that this contributed to the large turnout of nearly three lakh people—much more than what the organizers or police had anticipated. The situation was made worse when organizers announced on the day of the event that passes would be required for stadium entry, contradicting earlier open-entry announcements and causing panic in the crowd.
Planning failures
Report also noted poor coordination among various bodies
"It is common and known in law & order situations that cancellation of anticipated events can incite the crowd tremendously and lead to widespread mob violence, as has been seen in several events where such decisions have been taken," it said. The report also highlighted poor coordination among RCB, DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt Ltd, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
Aftermath measures
State government's response also included post-incident measures
It said bad planning at entry gates and delays in opening them resulted in a stampede-like situation, and seven police personnel were injured in the chaos. To control the situation, police permitted a scaled-down version of the celebration under controlled conditions, it added. The state government's response also included post-incident measures such as magisterial and judicial inquiries, FIRs, disciplinary action against police personnel, suspension of the Chief Minister's political secretary, and transfer of the state intelligence chief.