Karnataka Home Minister pays tribute to RCB fans who lost their lives last year
Bengaluru, March 25
The Karnataka State Cricket Association today organised a ceremony at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a curated memorial was installed to honour the memory of the 11 fans who tragically lost their lives on June 4, 2025, due to the stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory parade following their maiden Indian Premier League trophy win last year. The ceremony was graced by the Home Minister of Karnataka, G. Parameshwara.
G. Parameshwara offered a floral tribute at the memorial, paying homage to the departed souls and conveying his condolences to the bereaved families.
The programme was attended by members of the KSCA Managing Committee, senior officials, and other stakeholders.
Under the leadership of legendary cricketer Shri Venkatesh Prasad, KSCA reiterated its commitment to responsible governance, enhanced safety standards, and the development of world-class cricketing infrastructure, while remaining sensitive to the sentiments of fans and the larger cricketing fraternity.
The Association reaffirmed its resolve to ensure that all future events at the stadium are conducted with the highest standards of safety, coordination, and professionalism, in line with the expectations of stakeholders and the public at large.
Venkatesh Prasad said a special prayer was conducted by the Karnataka State Cricket Association to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and show support to their families. He added that 11 seats will be kept vacant during IPL or international matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as a mark of respect.
"A special prayer was held to pay homage to the lives that we lost at the KSCA and to tell their families that we care for them. We are going to keep 11 seats vacant, we will not sell them be it the IPL or international matches," he said while speaking to ANI.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While the tribute is good, we must not forget this was a preventable tragedy. The authorities failed in crowd management that day. Prayers and empty seats are fine, but what about concrete changes to safety protocols? Will the inquiry report ever be made public?
A sad chapter in what should have been a purely joyous occasion for Bengaluru. The victory parade chaos showed how poorly we plan for big crowds. Hope Venkatesh Prasad and team walk the talk on safety. Jai Karnataka.
As someone who was there that day, it was terrifying. The memorial is a step towards healing. Seeing those 11 empty seats will be a solemn reminder for all of us fans to be responsible too. Play Bold, but safely.
Respect to the Home Minister for attending. The families must be supported beyond just tributes. I hope the association and government have provided adequate financial and counselling support to them. That's the real test of sensitivity.
A fitting tribute. Those fans are forever part of RCB's legacy now. Every time we win at Chinnaswamy, we should remember them. Their passion was the ultimate. Om Shanti. 🕊️
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