IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal said that although the stampede during the RCB’s victory celebration in Bengaluru was tragic, the event was not organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as well. He also added that the IPL had officially finished last night with RCB’s win, and since the BCCI had no control or prior knowledge about this incident, the BCCI cannot be held responsible.
“It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones. For the BCCI, the IPL concluded last night. We had no knowledge of such an incident occurring, so how can we be held responsible for it?” Arun Dhumal told India Today.
He added, “How can we be held responsible for something like this? It is indeed a very tragic incident, and we extend our deepest condolences. But we cannot be held accountable for something over which we had no control. I am not certain if the stampede occurred directly outside the stadium-I have no specific knowledge of that. Have you seen any IPL officials present at the gate, managing the crowd or facilitating the players’ entry?”
ALSO READ: “I did get a couple of hints” – AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli’s Test retirement
Meanwhile, the IPL chairman also said that as soon as he got the tragedy unfolding outside the stadium, he instructed the organisers to finish the proceedings.
“As the IPL chairman, I can only speak for the league. RCB is a franchise and, while part of the IPL ecosystem, I have no knowledge about whether they were invited by someone or arrived on their own for the felicitation. Who called them? Who was responsible for facilitating them? These are questions the local administration must investigate. They need to identify what went wrong and ensure such incidents never happen again,” he expressed.
“Have I been in touch with RCB officials? Yes, as soon as I was informed about the incident, I spoke to them. They told me they were inside the stadium and had no knowledge of what was happening outside. Based on that conversation, I was told they immediately called off the event,” Arun Dhumal concluded.
