RCB breaks silence on June 4 stampede: 'Silence wasn't absence, it was grief'

Footwears lie on the ground outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium following the June 4 stampede. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

Indian Premiere League (IPL) 2025 champions Royal Challenges Bengaluru (RCB) shared a heartfelt message for its fans on Thursday, the first since the June 4 stampede in which 11 people lost their lives. Breaking silence on its three-month social media absence, the franchise said what happened on June 4 "broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space".

"It's been close to three months since we last posted here. The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief," it posted on X. The IPL franchise also announced the launch of an initiative called 'RCB CARES' which the franchise said "grew out of a need to honour, to heal, and to stand beside our fans".

"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," it said.

RCB, which clinched its maiden IPL trophy on June 3, planned an event at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate the win. However, the celebrations took an ugly turn when a stampede broke out outside the stadium resulting in the deaths of 11 people and leaving over 50 injured.

The franchise said it had been grieving as it maintained silence and continued to listen and learn during the period. "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. That’s how RCB CARES came to life," it added.

Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!

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𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief.

This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you… pic.twitter.com/g0lOXAuYbd

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— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) August 28, 2025

RCB asserted it returned with care for its fans and stands with them all. "We return to this space today, not with celebration but with care. To share. To stand with you. To walk forward, together. To continue being the pride of Karnataka. RCB CARES. And we always will," the post read.

Last week, RCB director Mo Bobat said the franchise is dedicated to honoring the fans and their families, adding they will always be a part of the team's history.

“Cricket and the IPL is so much about passion and enjoyment, and one of our biggest motivators is our fans. We talked during the competition that we want to win it for our fans. They've been the patient ones. Some of us are new. These fans have waited 18 years, so we wanted to do it for them, and for some of them to have lost their lives just feels incredibly sad. We look forward to being able to recognise those people and their families," he told Cricbuzz.

Following the tragedy, the M Chinnaswamy stadium was deemed "unsuitable and unsafe" for large-scale events as per the findings of Justice John Michael Cunha Commission. The Karnataka government had appointed the commission to investigate the July 4 stampede which happened during the RCB's victory celebrations.