The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally issued their first statement since the tragic stampede on June 4, 2025. The incident occurred during the team’s IPL victory celebrations outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, leaving 11 fans dead and 56 others injured.
RCB, who lifted their maiden IPL title on June 3 after defeating Punjab Kings, had stayed silent since June 5. Now, after 84 days, the franchise has broken its silence with a heartfelt post on X, unveiling a new initiative called ‘RCB CARES.’
Emotional Words From RCB
In their statement, the franchise wrote, “The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief. This space was once filled with energy, memories, and moments that you enjoyed the most. But June 4th changed everything. That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space. In that silence, we’ve been grieving. Listening. Learning. And slowly, we’ve begun to build something more than just a response. Something we truly believe in.”
Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.
The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief.
This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you… pic.twitter.com/g0lOXAuYbd
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) August 28, 2025
They added, “That’s how RCB CARES came to life. It grew out of a need to honour, to heal, and to stand beside our fans. A platform for meaningful action shaped by our community & fans. We return to this space today, not with celebration but with care. To share. To stand with you. To walk forward, together. To continue being the pride of Karnataka. RCB CARES. And we always will.”
The Tragedy That Shook Bengaluru
On June 4, thousands of fans gathered outside the stadium to celebrate RCB’s long-awaited title. There was confusion due to the large throng, and a stampede left over 50 people injured and 11 dead. Anger erupted across the country as desperation spread outside the stadium while festivities went on inside.
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The Karnataka government later blamed RCB for mismanagement. Critics also slammed the franchise for their brief condolence message at the time. They called it insensitive and inadequate.
RCB’s Response Under Scrutiny
Ultimately, RCB announced a fund to support the injured and 10 lakh rupees each for the families of the deceased. Manu, however, believed that these actions were taken too late and only after public outcry. Fans felt abandoned after they were silent for almost three months.
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Now, with the launch of ‘RCB CARES,’ the team says they want to “stand beside the fans” and build something meaningful out of the tragedy. Whether this initiative can heal the broken trust remains to be seen.
