Bengaluru Stampede left 11 people dead and over 30 injured outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday night. It happened during RCB’s victory celebration after their first-ever IPL title win. The team had just returned to Bengaluru after defeating Punjab Kings in a nail-biting final.
Now, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have stepped forward. They’ve announced ₹10 lakh compensation for each family who lost someone. Injured fans will also be supported through a new relief fund named RCB Cares.
No fan expects to go to a victory parade and end up in a hospital—or worse, never make it home.
RCB’s gesture, while welcome, raises bigger questions. Why was the event poorly managed? Why wasn’t crowd control better?
This wasn’t just a stampede. It was a systems failure.
RCB’s Official Statement
In a statement, the team said the incident has brought “anguish and pain” to the RCB family. As a mark of respect and solidarity, ₹10 lakh will be given to each of the 11 families who lost a loved one.
They’ve also set up RCB Cares, a dedicated fund for those injured. The franchise promised ongoing support, saying, “Our fans will always remain at the heart of everything we do.”
But some might ask—shouldn’t that have been the case before fans got crushed?
When Celebration Turned Into Crisis
While fans waited outside the stadium, the RCB team was being felicitated at Vidhana Soudha. That event continued even after news of the stampede broke.
Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar later said they “wrapped up quickly.” But quickly might not be quick enough when people are dying outside.
This tragic event casts a shadow over what should have been a joyful homecoming. For a team that waited years to lift the IPL trophy, this is a painful and haunting chapter.
RCB may have done the right thing after the fact. But this tragedy is also a reminder that fan safety cannot be an afterthought. Passion for cricket runs deep in India—but no one should lose their life just for showing up.
The real win will be when fans can cheer without fear.
Also Read Bengaluru Stampede Horror: 11 Young Lives Lost in RCB Victory Chaos, Youngest Only 13
