- June 8, 2025
RCB’s IPL 2025 triumph was always meant to be a fairy-tale ending.The punchline finally landed on the punchers—RCB lifted the trophy, and with it, the weight of every meme, meltdown, and missed chance over 18 long years.
But jubilation turned to tragedy. On June 4, a stampede took place outside the stadium and killed 11 fans.
Now, in a bizarre turn of events, Bengaluru-based activist HM Venkatesh has alerted police to name Virat Kohli—a cricketing superstar and RCB’s biggest star—as one of the primary accused. Yes, that same Virat Kohli. So, what’s happening?
The Big Question: Why Target Virat Kohli?
Let’s get serious for a second– Virat Kohli did not organize the celebration. He did not plan the details of security or manage the crowd control. Personalized, Bengaluru activist HM Venkatesh transferred accountability to Kohli partly because he was the team’s best player and the “face of RCB,” yet also requested an expansive moral and symbolic responsibility for the tragedy. Unequivocal – and anguished – terms.
To be clear, the FIR has already included the RCB franchise, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and an event management company identified as DNA Entertainment Network. The FIR even identifies three, including RCB’s Head of Marketing & Revenue, Nikhil Sosale, as having been arrested.
Nonetheless, Venkatesh only chose to name Kohli raises some questions: Should public figures be legally held responsible for their organizations, or is this just an activist trying to make a name for themselves off a high-profile lawsuit?
The Real Culprit: Poor Crowd Management
Let us focus on what went wrong, not who the celebrity is. This stampede was not a case of fandom. It was a case of planning error. RCB had just gotten back to Bengaluru from its historic achievement in Ahmedabad on June 4. With no ticketing or crowd management in place, thousands of fans all started showing up at the stadium to catch a glimpse of their heroes. It quickly went into chaos. What began in passion ended in grief, with lives cut short in the shadows of the aftermath.
It was not the first instance of this type of event at a sporting celebration, and it will likely not be the last, unless either authorities start to take crowd management seriously with some degree of continuity. Responsibly heterosexually blaming Virat Kohli, who expressed his devastation in saying he was “absolutely gutted”—as the title indicates, makes it seem almost more symbolic than contributory.
When Emotions and Accountability Collide
This unfortunate situation compels us to thoughtfully explore the continuum between fame and legal culpability. Kohli is an undeniable influence, a major player in RCB’s galaxy; however, as a player, he is only accountable for his role on the field, and not for fulfilling civic duties. Importantly, when we propose that he alone is to be accountable, we are establishing a dangerous precedent, not just in the game of cricket, but for every single event that includes celebrities.
To their credit, RCB stepped up with a ₹10 lakh ex gratia payment for the family of each victim and initiated support through RCB Cares. That’s a start, but is this truly sufficient to meet the devastation’s enormity?
So, the question is: In circumstances like this, should a Chris Gayle or Virat Kohli be considered culpable? Or is blame being laid at the feet of an unhelpfully constructed public pedestal? Let us hear your views in the comments, and let’s start a discussion.
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