RCB Announces Rs 10 Lakh Aid for Stampede Victims’ Families, Sets Up ‘RCB Cares’ Fund
A day after a joyous victory celebration turned into a devastating tragedy, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the 11 fans who lost their lives in a deadly stampede. The franchise has also established a dedicated support fund, named ‘RCB Cares’, to assist those injured in the incident.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday evening outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where an unexpectedly massive crowd gathered for a felicitation ceremony following RCB’s historic maiden IPL 2025 title win. The overwhelming numbers led to chaos and a fatal crush at the entry points, resulting in 11 deaths and leaving nearly 50 people injured.
In an official statement released on Thursday, the franchise expressed its deep sorrow over the incident.
“The unfortunate incident in Bengaluru yesterday has caused a lot of anguish and pain to the RCB family. As a mark of respect and a gesture of solidarity, RCB has announced a financial support of INR 10 lakh to each of the eleven families of the deceased,” the statement read. “In addition, a fund called RCB Cares is also being created to support fans injured in this tragic incident. Our fans will always remain at the heart of everything that we do. We remain united in grief.”
This financial aid from the franchise is in addition to the ₹10 lakh compensation previously announced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for each of the victims’ families.
Star batsman Virat Kohli, who was at the felicitation event, expressed his shock and sorrow on social media. “At a loss for words. Absolutely gutted,” Kohli wrote, sharing the team’s official statement. His wife, actor Anushka Sharma, also posted the statement with heartbroken emojis.
The celebratory event on Wednesday, which was attended by all RCB players, coach Andy Flower, and mentor Dinesh Karthik, was reportedly cut short to just 20 minutes after organisers were informed of the tragedy unfolding outside the stadium. Initial reports suggest that while the event was meant for pass-holders, an enormous crowd of over two lakh fans converged on the venue, which has a capacity of only around 35,000, overwhelming the security and crowd control measures in place.
The state government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the lapses that led to the stampede, with a report expected within 15 days.
