RCB Held Accountable for Crowd Chaos After IPL Victory Celebration
A two-member panel from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has determined that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is "responsible" for the massive turnout of approximately 300,000 to 500,000 fans outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium following their first Indian Premier League (IPL) championship on June 4, as reported by a sports news outlet.
The incident resulted in 11 fatalities and over 50 injuries due to a stampede, exacerbated by police being ill-equipped to manage the overwhelming crowd.
The bench, consisting of Justice BK Shrivastava and Santosh Mehra, criticized RCB for creating a "nuisance" by hosting celebrations without the necessary regulatory approvals.
This assessment was part of a 29-page ruling issued by the CAT, which addressed a case brought forth by Vikash Kumar, the Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police for Bengaluru (West).
Kumar was one of four officers suspended by the state government for "significant dereliction of duty" and for failing to seek guidance, which led to a situation that spiraled out of control, resulting in loss of life and embarrassment for the government.
In response, Kumar contested his suspension, and the CAT overturned the government's decision, ordering his reinstatement.
The tribunal noted that neither RCB nor its event management partner, S DNA Entertainment Network Private Limited, applied for the required permits to hold the celebration parade at the stadium.
According to the CAT, event organizers must submit an application at least a week in advance under the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Public Procession (Bengaluru city) order of 2009, which RCB and DNA failed to do.
On the day of the IPL final, June 3, Shubhendu Ghosh, the CEO of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), sent a letter to the Cubbon Park Police Station, indicating that if RCB won, there would be "potential victory parades" around the stadium, concluding with celebrations inside. However, no formal permission was requested.
The CAT highlighted that when the letter was submitted, it was "uncertain" whether RCB would win, and there was no formal request for permission to hold the victory parade and celebrations.
"The organizer did not wait for the Police's response," the order stated, adding that they hastily submitted a letter and commenced the planned events.
The tribunal also detailed the sequence of social media posts made by RCB on June 4, starting with an announcement about the "victory parade scheduled in Bengaluru." Following the initial post at 7:01 AM, RCB shared a link on Instagram at 8 AM, expressing excitement to celebrate with fans.
At 8:55 AM, the same message was reiterated, featuring a statement from star player Virat Kohli. By 3:14 PM on June 4, RCB announced on their social media that a victory parade would take place at 5 PM, followed by celebrations inside the stadium.
The CAT criticized RCB for "unilaterally" disseminating information about the celebrations without obtaining the necessary permissions or police consent.
While RCB did advise fans to adhere to guidelines set by police for a peaceful event, the lack of clarity regarding ticket distribution led to the assumption that the event was open to the public.
The order indicated that this miscommunication resulted in an overwhelming crowd at a venue designed for only 35,000 attendees. The police were already stretched thin managing the crowd after RCB's narrow victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The police faced additional pressure as the state government organized a "felicitation" for the players.
Consequently, the CAT concluded that RCB was primarily responsible for the gathering of such a large crowd, stating, "RCB did not secure the necessary permissions or police consent. They abruptly posted on social media, leading to public assembly. Due to the short notice on June 4, the police could not make adequate arrangements. RCB created this situation without prior approval," it added.
The order defended the police, emphasizing that they are "human beings" and not capable of performing miracles under such circumstances.
As a quasi-judicial body, the CAT addresses matters concerning government and public servants. RCB is not directly involved in the proceedings, and the tribunal's observations will not influence the ongoing state government investigation into the stampede, which is being led by former High Court Justice Michael da Cunha.