Last Updated:
Dinesh Karthik recalls the Bengaluru stampede that marred Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first IPL title win, leaving 11 dead. RCB launched RCB Cares to support affected families.
RCB’s Dinesh Karthik expounded on the players’ reactions during the stampede (X)
It was meant to be a historic celebration. Instead, it turned into a tragedy that scarred Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title win.
Months after the Bengaluru stampede on June 4, 2025, RCB batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik spoke publicly for the first time, recalling the horror and its lasting impact on the players.
The stampede occurred when an estimated three lakh fans gathered in Bengaluru to celebrate RCB’s long-awaited first IPL trophy. Overcrowding and lack of crowd control led to chaos, leaving 11 dead and more than 50 injured.
Karthik, speaking at India Today’s South Conclave, revealed that the players were left in shock.
“We were in Bangalore. You have got to understand that we were told to go to an event and when we got there we were sent back. I don’t even understand what had happened. It was beyond us,” he recalled.
“We Didn’t Know How to React”
For Karthik and the RCB squad, the tragedy stripped away all joy from what should have been a moment of celebration.
“We are just sportsmen who are playing this sport. When something like this happens, you just don’t know how to react,” he said. “My first instinct when I was told that people are losing lives… Could it change? I really wish it could.”
“The aftertaste that it left sent us players into radio silence. You know, RCB is such a well-supported franchise. It completely finished whatever our celebrations could have been. It is one of the saddest things that I have seen. I cannot even start to empathise what those parents and families must have gone through. I just hope that in some way we can repay them.”
RCB’s Response
In the aftermath, RCB announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives. The franchise also unveiled RCB Cares, a long-term initiative aimed at supporting fans—the famous 12th Man Army.
According to the club, the programme will focus not just on monetary aid but also on providing “swift, transparent, and compassionate” assistance to affected families, once permissions and frameworks are fully in place.
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
September 10, 2025, 08:45 IST
Read More
