Virat Kohli Faces Legal Complaint After Fatal Bengaluru Stampede

Agencies 

Bengaluru: A tragic stampede during the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebration outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has left 11 people dead and dozens injured, triggering public outrage and legal action.

According to officials, the stampede occurred at two different locations near the stadium as thousands of fans gathered to witness the celebratory event hosted by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Panic ensued when crowd control broke down, leading to the deadly chaos.

In the aftermath, a formal complaint has been filed against Indian cricket icon and RCB captain Virat Kohli at the Cubbon Park Police Station. The complaint, lodged by social activist H.M. Venkatesh, accuses Kohli of promoting gambling through the IPL and inciting public gatherings, which allegedly contributed to the tragedy.

While Kohli took to social media to express his grief and condolences over the incident, he faced backlash for not cancelling or pausing the celebration as the tragedy unfolded.

Police officials confirmed that no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Kohli yet, but the complaint is under investigation.

Acting on directives from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, authorities have arrested 11 event organisers involved in the RCB celebration. Additionally, the Bangalore High Court has remanded four RCB team officials to 14 days of judicial custody.

In a statement issued late Friday, RCB announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for each of the families who lost a loved one. The franchise also launched the RCB Cares Fund to provide financial support for the medical treatment of those injured in the incident.

A judicial commission has been appointed to probe the stampede and is expected to submit its report within 30 days.

The tragedy has cast a shadow over what was meant to be a moment of celebration, raising critical questions about public safety, celebrity responsibility, and crowd management at large-scale events.