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The 3rd of June 2025 was a historic night for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). After 17 long years of waiting, the franchise finally lifted its maiden IPL title, defeating Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad. The joy in Bengaluru was uncontainable — celebrations filled the city.

But within 24 hours, joy turned into grief. On June 4, during RCB’s victory parade outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a stampede claimed 11 lives and left over 50 people injured. What was meant to be a moment of pride ended as one of the darkest days in the city’s sporting history.

Now, nearly three months later, RCB has broken its silence with an emotional social media post, admitting that the weight of the tragedy kept them quiet.

“Our silence was not absence but sadness,” the post read.
“This place was once filled with energy, memories and joy, but everything changed after June 4. Silence took over from that day onwards. In this silence we were mourning, listening and learning. Slowly we started becoming something more than just a reaction. Now it is something we truly believe in.”

RCB said this reflection gave birth to ‘RCB CARES’, an initiative dedicated to “healing, standing with our fans, and honoring those who were lost.” The franchise added that its journey ahead will focus on care, not just celebration, pledging to become “the pride of Karnataka in a more responsible way.”

When the team returned to Bengaluru after the final, thousands of fans gathered for the victory parade. The swelling crowd outside Chinnaswamy Stadium grew uncontrollable, leading to a stampede. The tragedy shocked the nation, and in July the Karnataka government even gave clearance to prosecute RCB for lapses in planning.

Following the accident, RCB had announced ₹10 lakh compensation for each bereaved family. The new RCB CARES program is seen as the franchise’s long-term response — a way to rebuild trust and stand by the community.