RCB Held Responsible for Bengaluru Stampede: CAT Says, “Police Are Human, Not God”

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has held Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) responsible for the tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025.

The Bengaluru bench of the CAT, comprising BK Shrivastava and administrative member Santhosh Mehra, issued an order stating that RCB failed to obtain appropriate permission or consent from the police to organize the victory parade.

The tribunal observed: "Prima facie, it appears that RCB is responsible for the gathering of about three to five lakh people. RCB did not take appropriate permission or consent from the police. They suddenly posted about the event on social media platforms, and as a result, the public gathered in large numbers. Due to the short notice on 04.06.2025, the police were unable to make adequate arrangements. Sufficient time was not given to the police."

Highlighting that the police were already on duty during the intervening night of June 3 and 4, the tribunal noted that another event had been organized at Vidhana Soudha to felicitate RCB players for winning the IPL 2025 title, where additional personnel had to be deployed.

"The public was present throughout the night of June 3–4 on the streets of Bengaluru, and the police were engaged in managing the crowd. Another function was organized by the State Government at the Vidhana Soudha premises. The police were also deputed there. Suddenly, RCB created this situation without any prior permission. It cannot be expected that within a short span of about 12 hours, the police would be able to make all the arrangements required under the Police Act or other relevant rules."

Emphasizing the human limitations of law enforcement, the tribunal remarked, “Police officers are also human beings. They are neither ‘God (Bhagwan),’ nor magicians, and they certainly do not possess the magical powers of ‘Aladdin’s lamp’ that can fulfill any wish with the rub of a finger.”

Additionally, the CAT quashed the Karnataka government’s suspension order against senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, who had been held responsible in the wake of the stampede.

At least 11 people were killed and over 50 injured in the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. While police had announced in the afternoon that RCB’s victory parade had been cancelled, the team later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the event would be held in the evening—triggering chaos among fans.