Almost three months after the tragic stampede exterior Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and injured 56 others, Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon Virat Kohli has lastly addressed the devastating incident that perpetually modified what ought to have been the franchise’s most celebrated second. The previous RCB captain’s emotional assertion comes as a part of the workforce’s ‘RCB CARES’ initiative, marking the primary time Kohli has publicly spoken in regards to the June 4 tragedy that overshadowed their maiden IPL triumph.
Virat Kohli expresses grief over the tragic Chinnaswamy stadium stampede
In a deeply private message shared by means of RCB’s social media channels, Kohli expressed the profound grief that has haunted him since that fateful day.
“Nothing in life actually prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What ought to’ve been the happiest second in our franchise’s historical past… become one thing tragic,” the cricket star acknowledged in an RCB tweet. His phrases replicate the complicated feelings of a victory celebration that reworked into an unthinkable tragedy inside hours.
The stampede occurred on June 4, 2025, simply at some point after RCB’s historic six-run victory over Punjab Kings within the IPL ultimate, ending their 18-year look ahead to the championship. What started as jubilant celebrations with 1000’s of followers gathering exterior the stadium rapidly descended into chaos when crowd management measures failed, leading to a crush that claimed predominantly younger lives. Among the many victims have been an 18-year-old son of a road vendor and a 22-year-old engineering scholar who was described by his grieving mom as being “loopy about RCB”.
“I’ve been considering of and praying for the households of these we misplaced”: Kohli
Kohli’s assertion continued with a dedication that displays each private anguish and institutional accountability: “I’ve been considering of and praying for the households of these we misplaced… and for our followers who have been injured. Your loss is a part of our story now. Collectively, we’ll transfer ahead with care, respect and accountability“. This acknowledgment represents a major second for the franchise, which had confronted criticism for its preliminary response to the tragedy.
The Karnataka authorities’s subsequent investigation held RCB accountable for the stampede, citing the franchise’s failure to acquire correct permissions and adequately seek the advice of with police earlier than asserting the victory celebrations. The federal government’s report revealed that RCB had “unilaterally determined to carry the victory celebration with out prior session with the police,” regardless of being denied permission for a victory parade simply hours earlier. The tragedy has additionally raised questions on the way forward for large-scale occasions on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the Justice Cunha Fee declaring the venue’s design “unsuitable and unsafe” for mass gatherings.
As RCB strikes ahead with their dedication to improved security measures and neighborhood assist by means of the ‘RCB CARES’ initiative, Kohli’s phrases function each an acknowledgment of irreplaceable loss and a pledge that such a tragedy must not ever be repeated.
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“Nothing in life actually prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What ought to’ve been the happiest second in our franchise’s historical past… become one thing tragic. I’ve been considering of and praying for the households of these we misplaced… and for our followers who have been injured. Your… pic.twitter.com/nsJrKDdKWB
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) September 3, 2025
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