The celebration of Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) IPL 2025 victory in Bengaluru turned into a tragedy when 11 people lost their lives in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Some of the fans who came to attend the victory parade on Wednesday (June 4) could never return to their homes.
Tragic death of 11 youngsters
11 people lost their lives in this accident, and the shocking thing is that all were under 30 years of age. The deceased also include women and children. The Bengaluru police have arrested a few people in this case, including RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosale.
Police warning ignored
Despite the concerns of the Bengaluru police, Nikhil Sosale insisted on holding the victory parade and announced it on social media. After this announcement, a huge crowd gathered around the Vidhana Soudha area and the Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in this tragedy.
Allegations against Virat Kohli and social media anger
While the matter is under investigation, some people on social media have demanded the arrest of RCB star player Virat Kohli. Kohli had praised the fans after winning the IPL, which ended RCB's 18-year trophy drought. Kohli had said after the match:
"I have been loyal to this team no matter what. There were times when I thought of going somewhere else, but I stayed with this team. I supported them, they supported me. I always dreamed of winning the trophy with them. This victory is more special for me than winning with anyone else, because my heart and soul are with Bangalore."
But some people on social media claim that Kohli's words do not match his actions. Some posts said that Kohli himself had demanded the parade on Thursday. However, some reports claimed that the parade was organised in a hurry, but these claims are vague and unconfirmed.
Why is it wrong to target Virat Kohli?
To be honest, blaming Virat Kohli for this tragedy is completely wrong. Kohli was not the organiser of the celebrations; the responsibility lies with the RCB management and the Karnataka state government. It is not Kohli's fault that people came to watch and celebrate with him.
Some people questioned why the celebrations continued at the Chinnaswamy Stadium even after the news of the tragedy. Here too, the responsibility lies with the RCB management, who should have informed the fans and stopped the celebrations immediately.
RCB players lifting the trophy is insensitive
It was a heartbreaking scene to see RCB players lifting the trophy inside the stadium when people were losing their lives outside the stadium. But blaming Virat Kohli alone for this is not only wrong but also lame. Kohli should be considered completely innocent in this matter, as he had no role in this tragedy.
Who is the real culprit?
Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Karnataka state government should be held responsible for this tragedy. RCB had announced a victory parade, which was advised to be cancelled by the Bangalore traffic police. Nevertheless, the franchise ignored police advice and invited people to join the parade, leading to a massive crowd gathering. Even when the incident happened, RCB did not take responsibility to immediately stop the celebrations.
The lives lost will not come back
All those who lost their lives were RCB fans. They had come to celebrate with their families but instead had to face a painful death. This tragedy has not only shocked fans but also raised questions about the importance of security and management in such events.
