From Glory to Grief

As fans cheered for their heroes, state machinery stumbled — raising questions about accountability in the tragic RCB celebration fiasco

- SOMESH GOYAL

e Sala Cup Namdu' — This year, the Cup is ours — became almost the war cry for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans who wanted nothing short of a victory at the IPL 2025. And their heroes did not disappoint them. They lifted the coveted trophy after 18 years, which included four lost finals.

The atmosphere and celebrations at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad after the famous RCB win were one of rapture, jubilation, and shared pride, a feeling that has so far been seen in the overseas leagues of soccer, rugby, and basketball. Bengaluru also witnessed late-night fireworks and celebrations that continued well into the wee hours of Wednesday. The victory became synonymous with Kannadiga pride, with the state government jumping in to capitalise on the occasion by joining in the celebrations in an otherwise purely commercial and private sporting spectacle.

What was the hurry?

The way the celebration was hurriedly planned by the organisers, ignoring the concerns of the local administration, security arrangements and confusion about the sequence of events, it was doomed to be a Cup of Sorrow with blame lying at the doors of the RCB, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the state government for acts of omission and commission. Was it the RCB team that wanted an early celebration, or was it the state government that prompted the team owners to rush a celebration within less than 24 hours of the final game? The state government's concern should have been the orderly and incident-free management of the event. Only an impartial enquiry can reveal why the government forced the over-stretched Bengaluru Police, which had been on the roads clearing the crowds following the RCB victory, to provide security for the state-level victory bash just a few hours later without any rest and preparation.

Local Police Objections