July 17,2025 — The Karnataka government has submitted a detailed report to the High Court regarding the recent stampede incident at the White Orchid Convention Centre in Bengaluru. The report attributes the overcrowding and chaos to a fan event organized by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The stampede, which occurred in April, resulted in several injuries and raised serious concerns about public safety during large-scale events. The government’s report claims that the RCB fan event coincided with the Karnataka Exhibition Authority’s (KEA) annual summer exhibition, leading to an unexpected surge in footfall that overwhelmed the venue’s capacity.
“There was a significant underestimation of the expected crowd. The presence of popular RCB players drew thousands of fans, which far exceeded what the venue and security arrangements could handle,” the report stated.
The government also pointed to lapses in coordination between the event organizers and local authorities. According to the report, there were insufficient crowd control measures, inadequate police deployment, and a failure to obtain the necessary permissions for conducting a high-profile event.
The High Court had earlier directed the state to file a comprehensive report after petitions were filed by citizens and civil society groups demanding accountability for the incident. The petitioners argued that the stampede was preventable and occurred due to negligence on the part of both public authorities and private organizers.
While the RCB franchise has not yet issued an official statement in response to the report, sources suggest that the team had notified local authorities of the event but did not anticipate the massive turnout. The fan event was part of RCB’s outreach campaign during the IPL 2025 season.
In its recommendations, the state government has proposed stricter regulations for large gatherings, especially those involving celebrities or major sports teams. It has also suggested the formation of a dedicated committee to monitor event permissions and ensure crowd safety protocols are followed.
The High Court is expected to take up the matter for further hearing next week, as the issue continues to spark debate over public safety, event management, and administrative accountability in the city.
