‘Absolutely Gutted’ Virat Kohli Reacts To Stampede During RCB Victory Celebration at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium
Eleven people died and 47 others were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 victory celebration on Wednesday evening. RCB captain Virat Kohli expressed his grief on Instagram, sharing the team’s official statement along with a personal message. “At a loss for words. Absolutely gutted,” he wrote with a broken heart emoji.
The team’s official statement read: “Immediately upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly amended our programme and followed the guidance and advice of the local administration.
The incident occurred when thousands of fans gathered outside the venue to catch a glimpse of the victorious RCB team, which had just won their first IPL title in 18 years. The celebratory event, which drew over two lakh supporters to a stadium with a capacity of only 35,000, was immediately cut short to 20 minutes after organizers were informed of the unfolding crisis.
The stampede was triggered when a temporary slab placed over a drain near the stadium premises collapsed under the weight of people standing on it, according to preliminary information shared with the Karnataka government. The sudden collapse caused panic among the massive crowd, leading to the deadly stampede.
Despite entry being restricted via passes, supporters had turned up in overwhelming numbers to join the celebrations of the franchise that had finally secured its maiden IPL trophy after 18 years of waiting.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who had earlier received the team at the airport, was also present at the evening program when the incident occurred.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told India Today that while the BCCI was not responsible for organizing the event, there were clear lapses in its organization.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association, facing criticism over the event’s organization, announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each family that lost a loved one in the stampede.
Questions are being raised about why organizers continued with the stadium event even as initial reports of the stampede began to emerge outside the venue.
Inside the stadium, Kohli had addressed fans with an emotional speech, saying: “I’m going to start off by saying: it’s no longer ‘Ee Saala Cup Namde’—it’s ‘Ee Saala Cup Namdu’. We’ve done it. This win isn’t just for the players—it’s for the fans, for the people of this incredible city.”
The event was attended by all RCB players and support staff, including coach Andy Flower and mentor Dinesh Karthik. Before the fan interaction, the team had been felicitated by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Vidhana Soudha.
This tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about crowd management at major sporting events in India. Stadium stampedes have occurred sporadically across the country during high-profile cricket matches and celebrations, often due to inadequate crowd control measures and infrastructure limitations.
The incident has cast a shadow over RCB’s historic IPL victory, their first title since the tournament’s inception in 2008, after 18 years of disappointment for one of cricket’s most passionate fanbases.
