A tribunal has come down heavily on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and event organisers over the recent stampede-like situation outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, stating that the chaos could have been avoided with better planning and crowd control.
In scathing remarks, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) said, “RCB created a nuisance,” adding that the burden of managing the crowd should not fall solely on the police. “Cops are not magicians or gods,” the tribunal noted, stressing that law enforcement was overstretched and not adequately supported by the organisers.
The incident occurred when thousands of fans thronged the stadium to buy tickets for an IPL match involving RCB. Poor crowd management and lack of basic arrangements led to panic and a near-stampede, leaving several people injured.
“The organisers failed in anticipating the turnout and did not coordinate effectively with the authorities. Holding such a large-scale event without proper preparation is not only negligent but dangerous,” the tribunal observed.
The commission has sought a detailed report on the incident and urged authorities to enforce stricter protocols for public event management in the future.
