Bengaluru stampede was result of gross negligence: Probe

The report was submitted in the presence of key officials, including legal advisor and MLA AS Ponnanna and chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Friday

The stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) IPL victory celebrations on June 4 that claimed 11 lives was the result of “gross negligence and dereliction of duty” by multiple stakeholders, a judicial inquiry has revealed.

On June 4, at least 11 people were killed in a stampede during RCB IPL victory celebrations (AFP)

The report, compiled in two volumes, was submitted in the presence of key officials, including legal advisor and MLA AS Ponnanna and chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Friday. The government said the document will be taken up for discussion at the cabinet meeting scheduled for July 17.

Prepared by retired high court judge John Michael D’Cunha, the report named the RCB team management, event firm DNA Entertainment Networks, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and senior police officials as responsible for the lapses that triggered the deadly crowd surge outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“There was a complete collapse of planning and coordination. Every agency involved — from the organisers to the police — ignored red flags,” said a senior official familiar with the contents of the report.

The inquiry was initiated after 11 people were killed and over 30 injured on June 4 when a massive crowd surged outside the stadium for a public event organised by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to celebrate their IPL title. The gathering, which swelled to an estimated three to five hundred thousand people, overwhelmed available security arrangements. At around 3.25 pm, a stampede broke out in the absence of crowd control measures.

The judicial inquiry commission was given a month to investigate the causes and identify accountability. Over the course of its probe, the commission conducted site visits, examined records, and heard statements from eyewitnesses, police officers, KSCA members, and other officials involved.

The government has not indicated whether the full report will be made public. For now, the cabinet’s decision on July 17 will determine the course of action.

Officials aware of the investigation said the report blamed the RCB management for not anticipating the turnout and failing to prepare a crowd management plan. “There was no coordination with civic or police authorities. They were simply not prepared for the scale of public enthusiasm,” a second official cited the report.

DNA Entertainment, the event management agency, was accused of allowing crowd entry beyond safe capacity and failing to set up barricades or exit routes. “Even basic emergency arrangements like ambulances, medical booths, and marshals were missing,” said another official who reviewed the report.

The KSCA, which governs the stadium, was faulted for not preparing the venue or its surroundings for an event of this size. “They had knowledge of the event but did not take proactive steps to secure the premises,” an official added.

“The report also pointed out critical failures by the police. While around 79 personnel were posted inside the stadium, no force was deployed to manage the crowd outside. The Joint Commissioner of Police arrived at the scene only after 4 pm, and the city police commissioner was reportedly informed over two hours after the stampede occurred. The failure to act on early signs of overcrowding cost lives,” said the official. “There were opportunities to intervene, but no one responded until it was too late.”

Multiple first information reports (FIRs) were filed against the RCB team, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment for negligence and culpable homicide.

The government had also suspended five police officers, including the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner and two IPS officers.