‘Nothing prepares you for heartbreak like June 4’: Virat Kohli breaks silence on Bengaluru stampede

NEW DELHI: Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper and veteran batter Virat Kohli has expressed his condolences and support for the victims who tragically lost their lives in the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the team’s victory celebrations on June 4.

The stampede, which occurred as an estimated crowd of nearly three lakh people gathered to witness RCB’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy celebrations, claimed 11 lives and left over 50 others injured.

“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”, Kohli said in a post shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on social media platform X.

“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

In the aftermath of the tragedy, RCB last month announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased. The franchise, along with fans and members of the cricketing fraternity, expressed grief and solidarity. In a post on its official Instagram handle, the franchise expressed grief over the loss and assured continuous support to the bereaved families under their new initiative, ‘RCB CARES’.

“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 statement read.

RCB further stated that the Rs 25 lakh aid is not just financial support, but also a “promise of compassion, unity, and ongoing care” for the affected families. RCB outlined the framework of RCB Cares on Monday, its long-term commitment to fans. The programme focuses on supporting, empowering, and elevating the 12th Man Army through meaningful actions.

Over the coming months, after obtaining necessary permissions, RCB Cares will extend its support beyond financial aid to provide fast, transparent, and compassionate assistance to fans and families impacted. (ANI)