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Hans India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Exclusive: Karnataka Cricket Body's Pre-Event Letter Reveals Government's Prior Knowledge Of RCB Victory Ceremony
An exclusive document obtained by India Today exposes that the Karnataka State Cricket Association contacted the state government one day before the tragic stampede, requesting authorization for a victory celebration at Vidhana Soudha in the event of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2025 triumph. The correspondence, dated June 3 and delivered to government offices by 7:30 PM that evening, sought official clearance for DNA Entertainment Networks, an event management company, to organize the felicitation ceremony on the Grand Steps of Vidhana Soudha for June 4. KSCA Chief Executive Officer Shubhendu Ghosh signed the communication addressed to the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms, explicitly identifying the distinguished guest list. The letter specifically mentioned that "the Honourable Chief Minister and the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister shall be gracing the occasion & felicitating the RCB Players & Support Staff." The cricket association assured complete collaboration with authorities, stating that Ghosh should be contacted directly for any additional clarifications required by the DPAR office. This pre-planning contradicts subsequent claims about the spontaneous nature of the events. Following the devastating stampede that killed eleven people and injured 56 others outside Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a press conference distancing the state government from the stadium event organization. He emphasized that KSCA, not the government, orchestrated the stadium ceremony. "More than one lakh people gathered in front of the Vidhana Soudha, but thankfully, no untoward incident happened there. However, in the stadium, where the capacity is 35,000, around two to three lakh people turned up. This was entirely unexpected," Siddaramaiah explained to media representatives. The Chief Minister clarified the government's involvement was restricted to granting necessary permissions and deploying security personnel. "We only gave permission and deployed the entire Bengaluru police force for security. The government did not host the stadium event," he declared. However, the exclusive letter reveals advance coordination between KSCA and government authorities, including specific mention of both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister's participation as chief guests. The document shows the government had detailed advance notice of the celebration plans, raising questions about preparation and crowd management strategies. The revelation adds a new dimension to the investigation into the preventable tragedy that occurred during what should have been a joyous celebration of RCB's maiden IPL championship victory.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Cricket Association Sought Official Permission For Vidhana Soudha Victory Celebration
Official correspondence reveals that the Karnataka State Cricket Association had formally requested government approval to organize a victory celebration at the state's prestigious Vidhana Soudha building, contingent upon Royal Challengers Bengaluru's success in the IPL 2025 tournament. The letter, dated June 3 and accessed by India Today TV, demonstrates that cricket officials had proactively sought authorization from state authorities before planning any celebratory events at the government complex. The communication was specifically addressed to the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms, outlining the association's intention to conduct a felicitation ceremony for the RCB team. According to the documentation, KSCA Chief Executive Officer Shubhendu Ghosh signed the formal request, which detailed plans for the event to take place at Vidhana Soudha Grand Steps on June 4. The letter explicitly stated the conditional nature of the celebration, noting it would proceed "in case Royal Challengers Bengaluru wins the IPL 2025 title." The correspondence also identified DNA Entertainment Networks as the designated event management company responsible for coordinating the arrangements. This professional approach suggests the cricket association was treating the potential celebration with appropriate administrative formality and advance planning. Notably, the letter informed government officials about anticipated high-profile attendance, specifically mentioning that both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister were expected to participate in the felicitation ceremony. The document stated that these dignitaries would be "gracing the occasion & felicitating the RCB Players & Support Staff." Timeline records indicate that the government received this formal request by 7:30 PM on June 3, providing officials with advance notice of the proposed celebration. The KSCA demonstrated transparency by offering complete cooperation with any additional requirements, with the letter explicitly stating that CEO Ghosh remained available for "any further clarifications" that the DPAR office might require. This correspondence underscores the systematic approach taken by the cricket association in ensuring proper governmental authorization before utilizing the iconic Vidhana Soudha venue for sports-related celebrations, following established protocols for public building usage.
News18
6 days ago
- Sport
- News18
'Mismanagement By RCB, KSCA, DNA Entertainment': What Bengaluru Stampede FIR Says
Last Updated: The FIR accessed by News18 explicitly blames RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment for not heeding police advice to allow more time for adequate arrangements Following Wednesday's gruesome stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people and left more than 60 people injured, News18 has accessed the FIR, which names the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise as accused number one, DNA Entertainment, an event management company, as accused number two, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administrative commissioner as accused number three. According to the FIR, the complainant is the police inspector at the Cubbon Park Police Station. The tragic incident occurred during frenzied celebrations in Bengaluru over RCB winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament after 18 long years, as chaos was sparked after a crowd gathered near M Chinnaswamy Stadium for a felicitation of the team held by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The FIR explicitly blames RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment for not heeding police advice to allow more time for adequate arrangements. It states, 'KSCA, along with DNA and the RCB franchise, did not agree to the suggestion and insisted on going ahead with the evening celebration on 04.06.2025." The Bengaluru police have directly blamed the RCB franchise, stating, 'The stadium has a seating capacity of only 30,000 to 35,000 people, and the organisers—DNA, KSCA, the management board, and the RCB franchise—failed to implement a crowd management plan or issue clear instructions on entry protocols." The Bengaluru police also say in the FIR, 'The mismanagement by DNA, the KSCA management board, and the RCB franchise in handling public communication and entry protocols at the Chinnaswamy Stadium directly contributed to this tragedy." On 03.06.2025, the Indian Premier League final between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) took place at the Ahmedabad Cricket Stadium in Gujarat, with RCB emerging victorious. Following the victory, a large number of cricket fans gathered near the M Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, within the Cubbon Park Police Station's jurisdiction, as well as on MG Road, Church Street, UB City, and Vittal Mallya Road to celebrate. All officers and staff of the concerned police station and the Cubbon Park Sub-Division were on duty until 5:30 AM on 04.06.2025. Later, at 6:00 PM on 03.06.2025, Mr. Shubhendu Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer of the KSCA, submitted a request on behalf of the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium to the Police Inspector for security arrangements for an RCB victory celebration to be held at the stadium on 04.06.2025. The Police Inspector responded that if RCB won, fans would celebrate all night, necessitating appropriate security arrangements. He cautioned that if the event proceeded as planned on 04.06.2025, a massive crowd could gather, causing significant public traffic disruption. He explained that time was needed to make proper arrangements. Although the Police Inspector conveyed this to the event organiser, and KSCA and its board of directors were initially persuaded, permission for the event was ultimately denied. However, KSCA, along with DNA Entertainment and the RCB franchise, disregarded this recommendation and insisted on holding the celebration on the evening of 04.06.2025. On the morning of 04.06.2025, the official RCB Twitter account and other affiliated social media platforms unilaterally announced the victory celebration and parade in Bengaluru, inviting fans and the public to gather without obtaining prior permission from the relevant authorities. This information spread rapidly across social media and news outlets, indicating a potential turnout of hundreds of thousands of people. The complainant reported this to higher authorities and requested urgent action. Subsequently, at 9:00 AM on 04.06.2025, senior officers formulated a comprehensive security plan, submitted it to the Police Commissioner for approval, and deployed additional police personnel. Officers and staff from all divisions across Bengaluru were called in to assist. The state government also organised a felicitation ceremony for the RCB players at Vidhana Soudha on the same day, requiring further security arrangements. In response, senior officers, including the Police Commissioner, Additional Police Commissioner, and other relevant officials, convened to finalise the security plan and issued specific instructions to officers on duty. The ACP City Special Branch and the ACP VIP Security were also present. Following the meeting, the Police Commissioner deployed additional Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) personnel. The Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) was stationed at the Command Centre, providing real-time instructions to officers on duty regarding crowd movement and developments. All deployed personnel actively maintained law and order. Comprehensive security arrangements were implemented at key locations, including HAL Airport (team arrival), the RCB team's route, the Taj West End Hotel (team accommodation), and the Vidhana Soudha. Security measures were also in place on alternative routes. Separate pilot and 'smart" escort arrangements were made for the RCB players and accompanying members. On 04.06.2025, the RCB players arrived at HAL Airport, rested briefly at the Taj West End Hotel, and proceeded to Vidhana Soudha around 4:00 PM for the government-organised felicitation programme. This event proceeded peacefully despite a large crowd. The final victory celebration was scheduled at the M. Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium at 5:30 PM. However, by 5:00 PM, the announcement of the stadium ceremony had drawn the large crowds from across the city towards the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Despite police security arrangements, the stadium's limited capacity of 30,000 to 35,000, coupled with the organisers' (DNA, KSCA, the management board, and the RCB franchise) failure to implement crowd management or clear entry protocols, resulted in thousands of fans congregating outside the stadium gates. Around 5:10 PM, gates in high-density areas were opened without proper control, creating a stampede-like situation. Several individuals were trampled. Police, KSCA security, private security, VIP security personnel, and support staff worked to control the crowd, rescue trapped individuals, and transport them to nearby hospitals with public assistance. Despite these efforts, 11 people died, and 64 were injured, including police officers and staff. Police used the public address system and other communication methods to disperse the remaining crowd to prevent further casualties. The programme commenced at 5:45 PM, with arrangements made to ensure the smooth participation of players and VIP guests. The stampede was primarily attributed to the RCB franchise, DNA Entertainment, and KSCA's failure to obtain permission for the event, manage the stadium programme, and provide proper fan entry arrangements. Repeated announcements on the official RCB website and social media regarding free tickets at the stadium gates contributed to the uncontrolled gathering. While the police deployed significant personnel and implemented security measures, the organisers' lack of planning and communication led to confusion and overcrowding at gates 02, 02A, 06, 07, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 21. Eleven people died from suffocation in the stampede, and 64 were injured, including police personnel. The mismanagement by DNA Entertainment, the KSCA management board, and the RCB franchise regarding public communication and entry protocols at the Chinnaswamy Stadium directly contributed to this tragedy. The ensuing chaos saw fans breaking barricades and attempting forced entry despite police warnings. Several officers were injured, and public transport and infrastructure were disrupted. A formal complaint has been registered, seeking legal action against: 1. The RCB franchise 2. DNA Entertainment top videos View all 3. The KSCA management board 4. Other involved parties About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18's digital platform. She has previously worked with More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : bengaluru cricket ipl RCB stampede Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: June 05, 2025, 19:17 IST News india 'Mismanagement By RCB, KSCA, DNA Entertainment': What Bengaluru Stampede FIR Says | Exclusive
