RCB victory stampede: KSCA letter reveals event was planned in advance, contradicts Govt's 'last-minute' claim

A KSCA letter dated June 3 seeking approval for RCB's victory celebration contradicts the Karnataka government’s claim of last-minute planning. The revelation raises accountability questions after the Bengaluru stampede tragedy.

Bengaluru: A letter dated June 3, 2025, from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to the state government has surfaced, contradicting the official narrative that the RCB felicitation event was planned at the "last minute". The letter requests permission to hold a grand celebration in front of the Vidhana Soudha to honour Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for their maiden IPL title win.

This revelation comes amidst mounting public anger over the tragic stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured during the RCB victory celebrations. The government had claimed that the event was organised spontaneously, leaving little time for adequate security or crowd control preparations. However, the KSCA’s formal request, made more than 24 hours before the event, calls that explanation into question.

Letter exposes planning timeline 

The KSCA letter, which clearly outlines the plan for a public felicitation event, was addressed to senior government officials. In it, the cricket body specifically sought approval to host the celebration in front of the iconic Vidhana Soudha on the morning of June 4. This formal communication proves that the authorities were notified well in advance, despite claims by the Chief Minister and other state officials that they were caught off guard by the scale and timing of the celebrations.

Contradictory claims raise accountability questions 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had stated earlier that "neither the government nor the KSCA expected such a large crowd," blaming the "unexpected turnout" and “short notice” for the chaos that led to the fatal stampede. The newly revealed KSCA letter, however, shows there was a clear request for coordination, undermining the narrative of a last-minute event.

This discrepancy is likely to intensify criticism of the state’s handling of the situation, especially from the opposition parties, which have already accused the government of negligence and lack of preparedness.

Tragedy and fallout 

The stampede at Gate No. 7 of Chinnaswamy Stadium on the evening of June 4 occurred after thousands of fans swarmed the area following unconfirmed rumours of free tickets and the hope of catching a glimpse of RCB players. Sudden rain and poor crowd management turned the situation deadly. Eyewitnesses have pointed to inadequate police presence and a lack of access control as key contributors to the stampede.

While the government has announced compensation for victims' families and ordered a magisterial inquiry, the emergence of this letter may shift the focus of the investigation toward administrative lapses and misinformation.