RCB star batter Virat Kohli opens up concerning the June 4 stampede. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting celebrity Virat Kohli has opened up concerning the June 4 stampede throughout his franchise’s IPL victory celebrations, saying “nothing in life really prepares you for the heartbreak” of 11 deaths on what ought to have been the happiest day for his aspect.
The tragic incident occurred when an estimated 2.5 lakh followers thronged on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to have fun RCB’s maiden IPL title.
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“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history…turned into something tragic,” Kohli was quoted as saying by RCB on its ‘X’ deal with.
“I’ve been pondering of and praying for the households of these we misplaced…and for our followers who had been injured. Your loss is a part of our story now. Together, we’ll transfer ahead with care, respect and accountability,” he added in his first elaborate comment on the mishap that led to widespread criticism of the franchise as well.
An official inquiry into the incident attributed the chaos to the lack of proper clearances and the overwhelming crowd, which surged in response to social media invitations sent out by the franchise.
The police admitted to being grossly outnumbered to manage the turnout and RCB was held responsible in the probe for encouraging the fans to come out in numbers.
In the aftermath, RCB announced a compensation of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and pledged to take “significant motion” in their memory.
It also launched a foundation, RCB Cares, which has promised to work closely with stadium authorities, sporting bodies and league partners to design better crowd management protocols.
Published – September 03, 2025 12:10 pm IST