Chinnaswamy Stadium Not Safe For Large Event, Declares Government
Chinnaswamy Stadium Not Safe For Large Event, Declares Government
The one-man commission was set up by the Karnataka government earlier in the year after a stampede killed 11 fans and injured many others during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL-winning celebrations.
It has been declared by the Justice John Michael D'Cunha Commission appointed by the Karnataka government that the Chinnaswamy Stadium is not safe for big events because of the stampede that happened on Jun 4, 2025. In which 11 people died as well and over 50 people were injured. The panel's report, given to the government, raised concerns about whether the stadium is suitable for big events.
The committee that looked into the stampede highlighted problems with the stadium chosen for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) celebration after they won their first IPL title.
The structure and the design aren’t made for such mass forums. As the entry and exit of both gates directly lead to the public footpath. An organised and spacious waiting area for the crowd was not available at the entrance. Because of this, people had to line up on the sidewalk or the road, which blocked and put pedestrians and vehicles in danger. This also made it easier for troublemakers to join the crowd, increasing the risk, especially since there was no proper security in place.
The commission strongly suggests that stadium authorities think about moving events that are likely to attract large crowds to places that are better equipped for such gatherings. Any new venue should meet certain standards, such as: specially designed areas for people to line up and move around, separate from public roads; enough entry and exit gates for large groups of people; easy access to public transport and tourist services; plans for safely getting people out in emergencies that follow international safety rules; and enough parking and drop-off areas to handle the number of attendees.
"Until these improvements are made, holding events with large crowds at the current location could pose serious risks to public safety, traffic flow, and emergency readiness," the report stated.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium will host the upcoming Maharaja T20 tournament, which will take place without any spectators. The stadium is also set to hold several important matches for the Women's ODI World Cup from September to November, including the opening game, one of the semifinals, and potentially the final match.
In other news, a report has pointed fingers at the organisers, saying that their "careless announcement" about entry for the RCB celebrations was a big reason for the unfortunate incident that occurred.
The report states that the stampede was caused by the organisers not controlling the entry at the gates and making reckless announcements about getting into the stadium. According to the commission, this lack of planning and poor decision-making demonstrates a level of carelessness that could be seen as gross negligence, and the organisers should be held responsible. They did not put any safety measures in place for the guests.
The commission highlighted that the organisers - RCB, DNA Networks, and KSCA - failed to get the necessary permissions for the victory parade celebrations. The event was unauthorised and rushed, lacking proper security, crowd control, and emergency plans. The committee also pointed fingers at the police for not taking action, even though they knew the event wasn't approved, suggesting possible collusion between the organisers and police officials.
Justice John Michael D'Cunha's report recommended taking action against several key individuals, including RCB vice-president Rajesh Menon, DNA Networks MD T. Venkat Vardhan, VP Sunil Mathur, as well as KSCA president Raghuram Bhat and former secretary A. Shankar. A. Shankar and ex-treasurer E.S. Jairam both resigned, saying they felt morally responsible. The report also held senior police officials accountable, including Commissioner B. Dayananda and Additional Commissioner Vikash Kumar, who were removed from their jobs by the chief minister after the tragedy.
The Karnataka cabinet officially accepted the commission's findings, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government is planning further legal action based on the report. Earlier, the government released a status report on July 17, two days after the Karnataka High Court ordered it to be made public, which blamed RCB, DNA Networks, and KSCA for the incident.