Police Asked RCB to Celebrate on Sunday; Report Says Franchise Disagreed

Royal Challengers Bengaluru were urged to celebrate their victory on Sunday rather than Wednesday.  Franchise rejected the proposal and proceeded with the original strategy.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's attempt to celebrate the team's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 victory with fans turned fatal, with at least 11 people reportedly killed in a stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.  Since the moment RCB won the IPL crown, there has been complete anarchy on the streets of Bengaluru, with fans going insane as they celebrate the team's victory.  As soon as the news of a victory march in Bengaluru was confirmed for Wednesday evening, people began gathering around the stadium that morning. 

Multiple alerts from police and traffic officials were also issued on social media, asking supporters to organize and discourage an open bus parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy.  According to the Deccan Herald, the RCB management and the state government were also advised not to celebrate on Wednesday due to the high level of emotions.

When urged to prepare the victory procession for Sunday, RCB objected that they would not have the international players with them by then.

"We sought to deter the government and the RCB franchise from holding any celebrations on Wednesday beginning Tuesday night. We warned them it was a bad idea and suggested conducting the event next Sunday when emotions had calmed down," a police official told the BBC.

"We instructed them not to take out any procession but to hold it in one location in an organized manner.  "Bring the players to the stadium and finish it there," the officer continued.

With the IPL schedule already pushed back by more than a week due to the Indo-Pak conflict, the franchise had to release the overseas players to fulfil their international commitments.  As a result, the parties concerned had no choice but to proceed with the programme. 

"Their argument was that the players, especially the foreigners, would leave today or tomorrow," he told me.

"Of course, the government would want to get some mileage out of it.  If the administration had refused, it would have resulted in another type of anarchy," he warned.

"From the police commissioner to the constables, all of our employees were on the streets on Tuesday until 5.30 a.m., weary.  It was complete mayhem.  We have never seen this level of fury before."