A massive tragedy struck outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) felicitation ceremony, as 11 people lost their lives in a stampede. The celebration turned into chaos when over 2,00,000 fans gathered outside the stadium, far exceeding its capacity. While around 30,000 people were allowed inside, the overwhelming crowd outside created an uncontrollable situation for the authorities.
Lack of Coordination Between Authorities and RCB
Reports have pointed to a severe lack of communication between the event organizers and the RCB franchise. Shockingly, the franchise revealed that they learned about the tragic incident not through official channels, but from media reports. Once they became aware of the unfolding crisis, the organizers reportedly amended the event immediately to prevent further damage.
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan voiced his disappointment and concern during a conversation with ANI. He did not hold back in criticizing the handling of the event, stating that the RCB franchise, like many corporates, is thick-skinned and focused more on revenue and optics than on crowd safety.
Atul Wassan Defends Virat Kohli Amid Tragedy
Despite his strong remarks about the franchise and the administration, Wassan stood firmly behind Virat Kohli, stating he did not believe the star cricketer had any idea about the deaths occurring just outside the stadium.
“I cannot believe in a million years that Virat Kohli knew that people were dying outside, and the felicitation was going inside,” Wassan said.
“The politicians, I can believe, because they’re ruthless, thick-skinned and so is the corporate, which is the RCB franchise. The franchisees don’t care because they have to show the balance sheets, and they have to show revenue. They would have known, maybe. It was a lack of communication.”
“By the time Virat and the players would have gotten to know, they didn’t have any say in it. If Virat had known, he would have immediately walked out,” he added.
Following the incident, Kohli took to Instagram to express his grief, writing, “At a loss for words. Absolutely gutted.”
This tragic event has sparked a debate about crowd management, communication between stakeholders, and the responsibilities of franchises during large-scale public events. As investigations continue, the focus now turns to accountability and ensuring such a calamity is never repeated.
