Introduction:
On June 5, 2025, the Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognisance of a tragic stampede that occurred outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory parade. The incident, which resulted in 11 fatalities and over 50 injuries, unfolded as massive crowds gathered to celebrate RCB’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win against Punjab Kings on June 3, 2025. The court’s intervention aims to ascertain the causes of the tragedy and implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Arguments Presented:
During the hearing, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, representing the State, emphasised that the event was non-adversarial and detailed the deployment of 1,483 police officials to manage the crowd. He noted that over 2.5 lakh people had gathered near the stadium, far exceeding expectations. Shetty acknowledged that while ambulances were deployed, their numbers were insufficient to handle the emergency. He also mentioned that a magisterial inquiry had commenced, with a report expected within 15 days.
The bench questioned the existence of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for managing such large gatherings. Shetty admitted the absence of a specific SOP but assured the court that the state government was taking the incident seriously and would prepare one. He also clarified that the casualties occurred at the stadium’s entry gates, not inside the venue.
Petitioners argued that the tragedy resulted from “criminal negligence” and criticised the state for masking the incident. They highlighted that only three gates were opened, despite the overwhelming crowd, and questioned the necessity of organising a felicitation event for players not representing the country. Senior advocate Arun Shyam suggested that the state provide details of ambulance deployments and recommended a judicial inquiry similar to the one conducted during the Chamarajanagar incident in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Court’s Judgment:
The Karnataka High Court, led by Acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi, expressed concern over the incident and emphasised the need for a comprehensive SOP to manage large public gatherings. The court issued a notice to the state government to ascertain the causes of the tragedy and implement preventive measures. The registry was directed to register the suo motu cognisance as a writ petition, with the matter scheduled for relisting on Tuesday.
The court’s intervention underscores the importance of meticulous planning and crowd management during large-scale events. It also highlights the necessity for clear communication between event organisers and authorities to ensure public safety.