RCB announces Rs 25 lakh aid for stampede victims' families
Bengaluru(PTI): Reigning IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the June 4 stampede that marred the team’s title celebrations at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The franchise said the financial support was being extended under its new initiative “RCB Cares”.
The tragedy had occurred when nearly two-and-half-lakh people thronged the M. Chinnaswamy stadium to catch a glimpse of RCB cricketers after their maiden IPL trophy victory. The resultant chaos led to the death of 11 people, besides leaving several others injured.
In the aftermath of the stampede, RCB had announced a financial support of Rs 10 lakh to each of the 11 families of the deceased.
On Saturday, in an emotional message, their first since the tragedy, RCB acknowledged the grief and extended their financial support to the affected families.
"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," said RCB in a post on 'X' on Saturday.
"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."
RCB also said that it was committed to "meaningful action" to honour the memory of the deceased.
"This is also the beginning of a long-term commitment for meaningful action that begins by honouring their memory. Every step forward will reflect what the fans feel, expect, and deserve," the statement added.
In another social media post recently, RCB called its fans "12th Man Army", saying the team had been "grieving in silence" since the episode.
"Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you! The Silence wasn't Absence. It was Grief. This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you enjoyed the most.. But June 4th changed everything. 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. We return to this space, not with celebration but with care. To share. To stand with you. To walk forward, together. To continue being the pride of Karnataka."
RCB had defeated Punjab Kings for their maiden IPL title on June 3 in Ahmedabad and a day later the stampede happened outside their home ground in Bengaluru as lakhs surged to celebrate the victory.
𝗥𝗖𝗕 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀: 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) August 30, 2025
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… pic.twitter.com/1hALMHZ6os
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Junior Hockey World Cup: IndiGo crisis disrupts travel plans of players' families, fans
Chennai (PTI): For Kate, the dream was simple -- to watch her son Fahy Noah play for the Australian team in the Junior Hockey World Cup here and visit the Taj Mahal.
But her plans, like those of many others, have been upended by the operational crisis that has hit IndiGo, India's largest domestic airline.
"I am here for the first time and India is so kind and welcoming. We were hoping to see the Taj Mahal, but with the IndiGo problems, we are a bit scared now," Kate, who has come from Brisbane, told PTI outside the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here.
"One family went on a rest day and got stuck overnight. I think we will have to cancel all our travel plans now, though seeing the Taj Mahal was on my bucket list for long," she said.
ALSO READ: IndiGo fight disruptions: Opposition demands statement from government
This is the first time that 24 teams are participating in the Junior Hockey World Cup, being held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. For most players and their families, it is their maiden trip to India. Many NRIs have also flown in to support the Indian team.
However, the widespread flight delays and cancellations have thrown schedules into chaos. IndiGo cancelled thousands of flights last week, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' flight duty and regulations norms. This resulted in lakhs of passengers getting stuck at airports across the country.
Laura, who has come from Belgium with her entire family to support her son, said they are now travelling by road.
"We are happy to be here in this beautiful country. We went to Munnar and Madurai, and now we are planning to go to Puducherry and Mahabalipuram by road," she said.
"We had taken IndiGo flights earlier, but some other families who travelled on different days got stuck and somehow managed to come back by train. So we are not flying anywhere in India now. Road travel only and then back to Brussels next week," she said.
For 87-year-old Kenyan hockey legend Avtar Singh Sohal, a four-time Olympian and a lifelong supporter of Indian hockey, the crisis was particularly distressing. He spent 12 gruelling hours at the Chandigarh airport on December 4 before finally reaching Chennai just in time for the quarterfinals.
"Our IndiGo flight was delayed by 12 hours. We were at the airport from 7 am to 7 pm. They kept giving excuses -- the aircraft has not arrived, the pilot is not available. We had no idea what was actually happening," he said.
Accompanying Sohal was 85-year-old Tarlok Singh Mandair, a former treasurer of the English Hockey Association, who had flown in from London.
"It was a horrible experience. They kept changing the timings from 12 noon to 4 pm and we finally took off at 7:20 pm. They gave us sandwiches which were not even good," Mandair recalled.
"Our return flight is also on IndiGo, but now we are exploring other options," he said.
Jujhar Singh Plaha, 86, from London, who was on the same flight, said his excitement has turned into anxiety.
"We were so excited about this trip; hockey is our first love. But this (IndiGo crisis) spoiled our mood. Now we are worried about returning because at our age, we cannot travel long distances by train or road," he said.
Jason, the father of Australian player Roger Lachlan, has had an eventful trip to India so far -- beginning with the rain in Chennai triggered by Cyclone Ditwah.
"We are from Hobart -- home of Ricky Ponting and David Boon. We arrived after a cyclone, which caused heavy rain. Now the sun is out and we are enjoying ourselves," he said with a smile.
Jason, too, has shelved all further travel plans.
"No sightseeing now. We will just eat, swim and head back. I am loving masala dosa, masala tea and curries," he said.
Some fans from Bengaluru, who had booked their flight tickets months in advance, decided not to take a risk. They opted for refunds and drove down to Chennai on Sunday to catch the semifinal.
"With flight uncertainty and trains full, we drove down. We did not want to miss India in the semis," said Vinod Chinnappa, who drove for six hours to come here.
Even officials have not been spared by the flight disruptions.
Digvijay Singh, an official of the Hockey India League franchise, waited eight hours at the Patna airport to catch a flight to Chennai.
"I did not want to miss the India-Belgium quarterfinal, so I waited. I finished all episodes of (web series) Family Man at the lounge," he said.
"I had gone to Patna from Delhi for a meeting earlier in the day and then needed to connect to Chennai," Singh said.
With the World Cup set to wrap up in two days, uncertainty about people's plans to return home looms large.
With prices of alternative flights rising and train seats nearly impossible to find, fans, officials, families and journalists are monitoring travel apps as closely as match updates.
If the situation does not improve soon, returning home could be as challenging as winning matches on the field.
