The Karnataka government’s fact-finding panel, chaired by Justice John Michael D’Cunha, has concluded that M Chinnaswamy Stadium simply cannot host large-scale events safely. The verdict follows the 4 June stampede that claimed 11 lives and left more than 50 injured during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations.
“The stadium’s design and structure are inherently unsuitable and unsafe for mass gatherings,” the report says, before warning that any further high-attendance events would pose “unacceptable risks to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness”.
Key facts first
• Stadium opened: 1974
• Deaths in 4 June stampede: 11
• Injuries reported: 50-plus
• Upcoming fixtures affected: Women’s ODI World Cup opener, semi-final, possible final
The commission has “strongly recommended” shifting forthcoming high-draw fixtures to venues “better suited” to handle significant crowds. “Any future venue should adhere to international standards,” the panel adds.
What the report flags
It lists a series of missing basics: “purpose-built queuing and circulation areas separated from public roads, sufficient entry and exit gates to manage mass ingress and egress, integrated access to public transport and nearby tourist hubs, comprehensive emergency evacuation plans in line with global safety norms and adequate parking and drop-off facilities to accommodate large volumes of attendees”.
Those gaps, investigators argue, make day-to-day crowd control tricky and genuine emergencies downright perilous.
Who’s in the dock?
The report points the finger at:
• RCB and its event partner DNA Entertainment Networks
• Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) office-bearers, past and present
• Several senior police officials removed after the incident
It recommends disciplinary or legal action against KSCA president Raghuram Bhat, former secretary A Shankar, former treasurer ES Jairam, RCB vice-president Rajesh Menon and DNA executives T Venkat Vardhan and Sunil Mathur. Police officers B Dayananda, Vikash Kumar, Shekhar HT, C Balakrishna and AK Girish are also cited for lapses in crowd-management planning.
Immediate knock-on effects
The KSCA has already decided that next month’s Maharaja Trophy T20 will go ahead behind closed doors. Bigger question marks hang over the Women’s ODI World Cup, scheduled between September and November, with the opener, one semi-final and possibly the final all pencilled in for Bengaluru.
A senior KSCA official, speaking on background, admits the timeline is tight. “We can’t rebuild access roads and gates in two months,” he concedes, “so right now we’re waiting for clear direction from the state cabinet.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, criticised for an early celebratory post on X after the IPL triumph, is expected to place the recommendations before his cabinet at its next meeting.
Expert view
Stadium-safety consultant Radhika Rao, who has no direct link to the inquiry, says the conclusions are unsurprising. “Chinnaswamy sits in a busy business district and wasn’t designed for 35,000-plus crowds leaving at once. Unless you upgrade exits and rethink traffic flow, every big fixture remains a gamble.”
Fans split
Outside the ground, regular ticket-holder Shyam R, still nursing a fractured wrist from the June crush, offers blunt criticism: “We got lucky more people didn’t die. Either fix it or move matches.” Long-time member Priya Menon, however, points out the ground’s history: “It’s home for us. Renovate in phases—don’t abandon it overnight.”
What next?
In practical terms, relocating World Cup ties will require the BCCI and ICC to reshuffle schedules and broadcast plans—never painless but doable if a quick decision lands. Meanwhile the KSCA faces a longer, costlier rebuild to meet the standards the commission lays down.
The debate, then, isn’t just about one tragic night. It’s about whether an ageing, centrally located stadium can be retro-fitted to modern safety norms without losing the character that makes it one of India’s liveliest cricket venues.
