New Delhi– Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has sharply criticized the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Karnataka state government following the deadly stampede that claimed 11 lives and injured many others during the team’s victory celebration in Bengaluru earlier this month.
The tragic incident occurred on June 4, when thousands of ecstatic fans gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate RCB’s historic first IPL title win. As the crowd surged toward the stadium gates, inadequate crowd control led to a stampede, turning a moment of joy into a nightmare.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Modi called the incident a result of gross mismanagement and expressed deep sympathy for the victims and their families.
“First and foremost, my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. This tragedy should never have happened. The event was terribly planned and executed,” said Modi. “There’s too much finger-pointing now, but the reality is simple — this celebration should not have taken place without proper safety arrangements in place.”
Modi did not hold back in blaming both the franchise and the authorities. “The responsibility lies with the government, the police, and the RCB management. Fan safety should have been the top priority before any so-called celebration. The fans who died were there simply because they loved the game and their team. They deserved better.”
Calling the incident “a tragedy that will haunt the RCB franchise forever,” Modi demanded accountability. “Even one death or injury is unacceptable. Heads must roll. You cannot dismiss this as an unfortunate event and move on.”
He also questioned why lessons from other large-scale events across India weren’t applied in this case. “We’ve seen mega-events across the country handled well. Why not this one? Where was the crowd control, the planning, the security coordination?”
Modi’s comments have reignited debate over the planning and safety protocols for large public gatherings, especially in sports where fan engagement is central. Critics have since called for a thorough investigation into the incident and stricter enforcement of event safety guidelines moving forward. (Source: IANS)
