BCCI’s Devajit Saikia Criticises Poor Planning After RCB Victory Parade Stampede Kills 11

In a tragic turn of events, a celebratory parade marking Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) historic IPL 2025 victory ended in chaos, with 11 people losing their lives in a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The incident occurred as tens of thousands of jubilant fans gathered to witness RCB’s first-ever IPL title celebration.

Reacting to the tragedy, BCCI Joint Secretary Devajit Saikia expressed deep sorrow and emphasized that the disaster could have been avoided with better planning. “Organisers should have planned it better. A victory parade of such scale demands meticulous coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety,” he stated.

Eyewitness accounts suggest the crowd grew uncontrollable as barriers collapsed under pressure, causing a surge that led to the stampede. Several others were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

RCB’s long-awaited IPL title win had sparked massive excitement across Bengaluru, with fans lining the streets hours before the team’s arrival. However, the lack of adequate crowd control, security personnel, and emergency response infrastructure has drawn widespread criticism.

Authorities have ordered a high-level probe into the incident, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah promising strict action against those found negligent. Karnataka police have also confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine if event permissions were properly secured and if safety protocols were followed.

The BCCI has extended its condolences to the families of the victims and urged franchises and state bodies to prioritise safety in all future events.