Reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) posted a heartfelt message for their fans, nearly three months after the unfortunate stampede during their victory celebrations. Less than 24 hours after their win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, RCB had victory celebrations at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. However, in haste, there was lack of organisation which led to a stampede that claimed lives of 11 fans and left over 50 injured.
On August 28, RCB posted a message for their fans sharing their grief for the fans who lost their lives on a day they were supposed to meet their heroes. The franchise said that the reason behind their silence was grief.
“Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!” RCB posted on social media.
“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 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...
"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."
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The aftermath of stampede
Following the stampede, the Karnataka government blamed the Bengaluru-based franchise for the unfortunate incident. Last month, the Central Administrative Tribunal held RCB prima facie responsible for the events that transpired on June 4. The CAT blamed RCB for the gathering of three to five lakh people without "appropriate permission or consent from the police".
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