Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday announced the launch of ‘RCB Cares,’ a new initiative aimed at healing, honouring, and standing beside its fans, following the June 4 stampede at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and injured over 30.
The franchise said the initiative emerged after a period of silence and reflection in the wake of the tragedy. In a heartfelt message to its supporters, the “12th Man Army,” RCB explained that the three-month pause on communication was not disengagement but a period of grief.
“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,” the note read.
Promising to move forward with empathy, the franchise said it was returning to its platforms “not with celebration but with care — to share, to stand with you, to walk forward together, to continue being the pride of Karnataka.”
The message concluded with a pledge: “RCB cares, and we always will.”
Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!
The stampede occurred during RCB’s felicitation at the stadium, one day after the team won its maiden IPL title. The event had been widely publicised as open to the public, with star players including Virat Kohli urging fans to attend. Despite police initially denying permission citing security concerns, over 200,000 fans gathered around the stadium.
As crowds surged through narrow gates, a crush ensued, leading to 11 deaths and dozens of injuries. Several victims were women and young fans who had travelled long distances to witness the celebrations. Families of the deceased have since demanded accountability from organisers, with many stating that proper crowd management could have prevented the disaster.
The Karnataka government immediately announced ?10 lakh ex gratia compensation to families of the deceased and free medical care for the injured. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described the tragedy as “mass hysteria,” while expressing deep regret over the loss of lives, though he stopped short of issuing a formal apology — prompting political debate.
A magisterial inquiry and subsequent probe by the Justice D’Cunha Commission found lapses across multiple agencies. On July 24, the state Cabinet approved action against police officials, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), event partner DNA Entertainment, and RCB itself for negligence in managing crowd turnout.
FIRs were filed under provisions of criminal negligence. The Central Administrative Tribunal later held RCB “prima facie responsible” for promoting the event without police clearance and drawing excessive turnout.
Families of victims have also approached courts seeking stricter penalties and long-term support.
Many bereaved families continue to grapple with the tragedy. Parents of a 19-year-old victim told reporters, “She only wanted to see her favourite players. We sent her with joy, but she never came back.”
Others criticised the lack of coordination between organisers and authorities. Some families, while welcoming compensation, stressed that “money cannot bring back our loved ones” and urged the government to ensure accountability so that “such a tragedy never happens again."
With emotions still raw, RCB said the RCB Cares initiative was conceived to support its community and fans in meaningful ways. While details remain to be announced, the franchise emphasised that the platform would focus on healing, honouring those lost, and strengthening ties with supporters.
The launch of RCB Caresbsignals the franchise’s attempt to rebuild trust with its fan base, even as legal and political scrutiny over the June 4 incident continues.
