New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long-awaited IPL title win was meant to be a night of triumph. Instead, it’s been marred by tragedy, and a silence that’s now drawing national outrage.
As thousands celebrated RCB’s first-ever Indian Premier League title outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, a stampede left at least 11 dead and over 30 injured, including a six-year-old girl.
The crowd crush, triggered by mismanagement and overwhelming turnout at the victory parade, turned the celebration into a catastrophe.
But what stung fans and observers the most wasn’t just the loss of life, it was Virat Kohli’s silence.
Kohli, the emotional centrepiece of RCB’s 18-year journey, addressed the crowd amid flashing lights, loud cheers and stadium music. Yet, he said nothing about the tragedy unfolding just outside. No condolences. No moment of silence. Not even a passing mention.
In an X post, influencer @Khurpench_ said, “If Virat Kohli cannot spare a few words for the RCB fans who lost their lives at Chinnaswamy Stadium, then this victory means nothing.”
The criticism cuts deeper because Kohli is not just a cricketer, he is a brand, a leader, a voice millions listen to. For many, this was a moment that called for empathy, not euphoria.
The celebrations continued as planned. Fireworks, music, and dancing eclipsed the unfolding tragedy. There was no delay, no adjustment, and no sign from organisers, or the team, that they were aware or concerned.
What could have been a defining legacy moment for Kohli and RCB is now being remembered with a caveat: a win overshadowed by avoidable loss, and the silence that followed it.
Already, comparisons are being drawn with the recent Allu Arjun incident, where the actor was booked for negligence after a woman died during a Pushpa 2 screening.
“If Arjun was held accountable, why not here?” asked BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawall.
Many social media posts shared an image of Virat Kohli holding the IPL trophy with blood splattered on his shirt symbolising the "blood red" chaos RCB fans caused, contrasting their triumph with the human cost of the celebration.
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