BCCI planning to ban RCB from IPL after stampede? Secretary vows to..

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a decision regarding the stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations in Bengaluru. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the Indian cricket board will not be 'a silent spectator' in such situations.

The IPL 2025 final match was played on Tuesday, June 3, in Ahmedabad. Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched the title by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a thrilling encounter. Victory celebrations were held in Bengaluru the following day, June 4. Notably, it was RCB’s first IPL victory in 18 seasons.

BCCI Will Have to Do Something - Devajit Saikia

However, a joyous occasion quickly turned tragic. During the celebrations, a stampede occurred amid the large gathering, resulting in the deaths of 11 people and leaving many others injured. The decision to hold the event so soon after the final was seen as rushed, which led to the unfortunate incident.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Devajit Saikia said that the board is planning to take steps to regulate future post-championship celebrations in the IPL. While the celebration was organized by RCB as a private event, the BCCI is committed to preventing similar tragedies from happening again.

“At some stage BCCI will have to do something. We cannot be a silent spectator,” Saikia said.

“It was a private affair of RCB, but we at the BCCI are responsible for cricket in India, and we will try to ensure such incidents do not recur in future,” he added.

Four Individuals Arrested Following the Incident

An FIR has been registered at Cubbon Park Police Station in Bengaluru against RCB, event manager DNA Entertainment, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administrative committee, and others, accusing them of criminal negligence related to the stampede.

Following the incident, four individuals, including Nikhil Sosale (RCB’s Head of Marketing and Revenue), Sunil Mathew (Vice President of Business Affairs), Kiran Kumar (Senior Event Manager), and Sumanth (Ticketing Operations Lead at DNA Entertainment Private Limited), have been arrested.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a compensation package of Rs. 10 lakh for each family of the deceased.

The Lives of People Are Far More Important - Gautam Gambhir

The tragic stampede has sparked urgent demands for accountability and changes in event management. Within the cricket community, there is growing concern about crowd safety and the need to reconsider large-scale celebrations.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir was disappointed by open-road celebrations following the tragic incident. He emphasized that people's safety should be the top priority and added that such celebrations should be held in controlled environments, like inside stadiums.

“I think the lives of people are far more important and I will continue to say. We can be a little bit careful of not holding these kinds of roadshows and can probably have them closed doors or something like this in a stadium," Gambhir said.

Devajit Saikia stated that the BCCI is planning to consider implementing preventive measures soon, but the details regarding their format and timing have yet to be decided.

Also read: European T20 Premier League backed by Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan postponed to 2026