Virat Kohli has made the first speech almost three months after the horrific stampede in Bengaluru during the IPL championship celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This was supposed to be a night of celebration but it ended up being a heartbreak as 11 people died and many others are seriously hurt.
Virat Kohli’s Emotional Message on Tragedy
In an emotional note, Kohli, who has kept his mouth shut over the matter since the incident, came out.
“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your loss is part of our story now. Together, we will move forward with care, respect and responsibility,” RCB posted on Instagram quoting Kohli.
“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your… pic.twitter.com/nsJrKDdKWB
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) September 3, 2025
The lines of the star batter indicate the unresolved grief in the family of the RCB. This has only made him even more popular as the fans are still struggling to forget about what would have been a historic night to the franchise.
Bengaluru Stampede Overshadows RCB’s Title Win
The sad incident happened outside the M chinnaswamy stadium after Royal challengers Bengaluru secured their first IPL trophy this year. An enormous number of almost 2.5 lakh people came to see their heroes.
There are reports that the overcrowding got out of hand with fans crowding around the team to have a closer look. During the commotion, lives and injuries were lost in the stampede and the victory that RCB had been waiting so long to achieve was marred.
Kohli himself shed some tears when RCB won the title, but the celebrations were quickly succeeded by mourning. Critics have since doubted the planning of the event by saying that warnings were not heeded prior to the ceremony.
RCB Cares Initiative for Families
Following the tragedy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru last month declared that they would offer financial support of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the 11 victims.
The support was announced as part of their program, ‘RCB Cares’, which is meant to be there to help fans through a crisis. The financial aid will not repair the damage, but the franchise stressed that it was an act of kindness and fellowship.
“Our hearts broke on June 4, 2025. We lost eleven members of the RCB family. They were part of us. Part of what makes our city, our community & our team unique. Their absence will echo in the memories of each one of us,” the franchise said in a post on X.
RCB Faces Criticism but Promises Change
Even with the help, RCB has received harsh criticism regarding the manner in which the event was run. There are still concerns as to whether the trophy celebration could have been approached in a different way to prevent excess congestion.
“No amount of support can ever fill the space they’ve left behind. But as a first step, and with the deepest respect, RCB has extended Rs 25 lakh each to their families. Not just as financial aid, but as a promise of compassion, unity, and ongoing care,” the franchise added.
Since the tragedy is still not accepted by the fans and the franchise owners, at this stage, the lyrics of Kohli seem to be the grieving and empowering of the whole world. In the case of Bengaluru, the win and the defeat will always be witnessed together in the history of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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