On September 3, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) released a statement from their star player Virat Kohli regarding the devastating stampede that took place outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, claiming 11 lives during RCB’s IPL 2025 title celebrations. Reflecting on the tragedy, Kohli expressed how a moment meant to be the happiest in the franchise’s history turned into one of their darkest. He also offered prayers for the victims and their families.
“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your loss is part of our story now. Together, we will move forward with care, respect and responsibility,” Kohli said in a statement shared by RCB on September 3.
The tragedy occurred a day after RCB lifted the IPL 2025 trophy, beating Punjab Kings in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3. The following day, during victory celebrations in Bengaluru, a massive rush outside the stadium led to a stampede, leaving 11 dead and over 50 injured.
“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your… pic.twitter.com/nsJrKDdKWB
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) September 3, 2025
RCB’s earlier response
Following the incident, RCB initially chose silence, later clarifying that it was not indifference but grief. As part of their ongoing efforts, RCB announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh for each of the families of the 11 deceased fans. The franchise also emphasized its commitment towards creating safer spaces during matches and public gatherings, with a renewed focus on crowd safety measures.
In a heartfelt post on social media, they wrote:
“It’s been close to three months since we last posted here. The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief. This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you enjoyed the most.. But June 4th changed everything. That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space.
In that silence, we’ve been grieving. Listening. Learning. And slowly, we’ve begun to build something more than just a response. Something we truly believe in.”
RCB will step in IPL 2026 as defending champions on a new home-ground as per reports. The semi-final game and the opening game of Women’s World Cup 2025 scheduled at Chinnaswamy has been given to different venues instead.