Following the terrible stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives and injured over 50 others, Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi raised worry about the mismanagement by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the authorities.
Lalit Modi lambasted both the authorities and RCB management for the incident,
Claiming that no one seemed to care about the lives and well-being of the supporters who had gathered to celebrate the team’s first title win after an 18-year wait.
“What is happening with the details about the rush in Bengaluru after the win of @RCBTweets in the @IPL? There is a lot of mudslinging and finger-pointing going on. The issue is straightforward. The authorities should never have authorised it if they did not have sufficient arrangements in place, and the players and team management should have ensured the same before engaging in the so-called festivities,” he wrote on X (previously Twitter).
“The poor fans who died and were injured in this tragic incident are simply passionate about the game and their team.” They deserve better. I am terribly disappointed that no one appreciates the fans. This win will haunt the #rcb franchise and the PLAYERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS CELEBRATION FOREVER. Mark my words. A single fatality or injury should be absolutely unacceptable. Heads should roll. That’s not good enough. The value of life and the well-being of fans must come first. “But it seems… no one seems to care,” he continued.
What is happening to the details about the stampede in Bengaluru after the win of @RCBTweets in the @IPL – Their is so much mud slinging and finger pointing going on. The issue is simple. It should never have been allowed by the authorities if they had no proper arrangement and…
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) June 9, 2025
Meanwhile, the tragedy has sparked political turmoil in Karnataka, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar facing severe scrutiny, with opposition parties seeking their resignations. Both leaders flew to Delhi to brief the Congress’ top command. The Congress leadership is apparently dissatisfied with the justifications supplied, and the episode has exposed severe gaps in government coordination and decision-making.
Furthermore, the Karnataka High Court has ordered thorough responses to nine important concerns about crowd control, medical preparations, and event authorisation. The court also questioned how the event was allowed despite the police’s red warning.
Two days earlier, KSCA Secretary A. Shankar and Treasurer E.S. Jairam resigned, and the board accepted their resignations. Nikhil Sosale, RCB’s marketing chief, was detained in connection with the matter and is still in police custody, with no temporary relief granted. In contrast, the court has granted KSCA officials interim protection under the condition that they fully cooperate with the investigation.
India
