The Siddaramaiah-led government has suspended the Bengaluru police commissioner and three senior cops while calling for the arrest of RCB, DNA, and KSCA representatives
The tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which resulted in 11 deaths, has raised questions on security protocols, crowd management, and preparedness during big events. It has also triggered a fierce political blame game between the ruling Congress and BJP, even as grieving families demand accountability.
The incident occurred during the victory celebrations for the IPL-winning team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), which brought the trophy home after an 18-year wait.
In a latest development, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has initiated a series of disciplinary actions, suspending the Bengaluru police commissioner and three other senior police officials, while also calling for the arrest of representatives from RCB, DNA Event Management, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee. These entities have already been booked on charges of criminal negligence at the Cubbon Park police station.
‘RCB DIDN’T CONSULT US’
According to the police, RCB’s promotional campaign, including social media posts, promised free access to the victory celebrations, which added to the crowd surge
“They didn’t consult us. The police were left with no choice,” a senior police officer said.
Stretched thin from the previous night’s match between RCB and Punjab Kings, the police were overburdened. “Within hours, we were forced to provide security for two major events without formal approval from the state police,” an official said.
Sources said an advisory against conducting the event was ignored, and suggestions to postpone it were brushed aside.
OUT-OF-CONTROL CROWD
Key factors behind the stampede incident included a lack of coordination, poor crowd estimation, and protocol violations. The police are reviewing social media posts by RCB that may have led to an overwhelming response.
With the force already exhausted from match-day duties, RCB’s tweet about the victory procession worsened the pressure. “The decision to proceed with the event came within hours of the win, giving the police hardly any time to prepare,” a senior officer said.
WHO WILL GIVE US ANSWERS, ASK VICTIMS’ KIN
Distraught families of the victims blamed the administration and police for what they saw as a total failure in planning and emergency response.
“There was not a single ambulance in sight. No medical help. Who will bring my child back?” said the inconsolable mother of 20-year-old Prajwal, who attended the event after telling his parents that he was visiting Bengaluru for a job interview.
Among the deceased was 13-year-old Divyanshi from Andhra Pradesh, a devoted Virat Kohli fan and the youngest victim. She died from suffocation and a head injury near one of the gates.
As part of the magisterial inquiry, Bengaluru deputy commissioner Jagadeesh said notices will be issued to RCB, Bengaluru police commissioner, KSCA, BBMP, BMRCL, and DPAR.
Siddaramaiah maintained that the responsibility lay with RCB and KSCA. “We didn’t organize the celebrations, they did. We only participated because it’s a Bengaluru team,” he said.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar accused the BJP of politicizing the tragedy. “They’re doing politics on the deathbed. They demanded a victory procession. If that had happened, imagine the chaos,” he said.
COURT STEPS IN
The Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognizance of the tragedy, converting it into a public interest litigation to investigate the causes and failures leading to the stampede.
The state government acknowledged the chaos outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A division bench led by acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice CM Joshi acted based on extensive media reports and public appeals.
“We have taken note of reports detailing the deaths and injuries during the RCB victory celebrations,” the bench said.
The court issued a notice to the state government, seeking details on emergency preparedness, including ambulance deployment at the Vidhana Soudha and the stadium. The next hearing is scheduled for June 10.
Senior advocate Arun Shyam said the presence of two major gatherings on the same day compounded crowd control challenges. Representing the government, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty said that although the stadium has a capacity of around 30,000, it was overwhelmed as nearly 2.5 lakh people arrived for the celebrations.
“Once free entry was announced, everyone assumed they’d be just one more person in the crowd, creating the stampede,” Shetty said. “The police commissioner and 1,318 police personnel out of a total of 1,483 deployed were present on the ground. We are as concerned as the public. The chief minister’s immediate response was to announce compensation and medical care. We’ve been working through the night.”
CONGRESS VS BJP
The BJP has accused the ruling Congress of mismanagement and a breakdown of police control in handling the large crowd. They questioned the decision to host the celebration under such circumstances.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje called for Shivakumar’s resignation and demanded an independent inquiry led by a sitting high court judge. She criticized the Congress-led government for rushing into the event without adequate planning.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya blamed the state government, accusing Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of turning the event into a personal showcase. He insisted that the government take full responsibility and provide financial compensation to the victims’ kin.
“This was a completely preventable tragedy caused by the government’s actions,” Surya said, alleging that the chief minister’s public invitation to fans without proper security measures triggered the chaos.
Despite knowing the fan frenzy, he posted an open call for celebrations without making necessary arrangements to ensure safety, he said.
State BJP president BY Vijayendra called for a judicial investigation, describing the tragedy as “avoidable”. He said the stampede took place before the players had left the Taj West End Hotel and questioned the government’s decision to proceed with the IPL victory celebrations at the Vidhana Soudha despite reports of deaths and injuries.
In response, the Congress blamed the RCB franchise and the KSCA for organizing the event without proper coordination with the authorities.
BLAME SHIFTING
Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the ceremony was initiated by RCB and KSCA, and the government only facilitated it.
Parameshwara stressed that the event was not government-initiated and that it took part as the home team. He said had RCB not announced the celebrations at Chinnaswamy Stadium, the crowd would not have reached unmanageable levels.
“We expected around 1 lakh people near the Vidhana Soudha and another 40,000 inside the stadium. But nearly 8 lakh people came, many of them RCB fans,” he said.
Despite the unfolding stampede, Shivakumar continued with the felicitation ceremony inside the stadium. The BJP slammed him for insensitivity, accusing the government of prioritizing optics over lives.
Pictures surfaced of Shivakumar felicitating players while the tragedy unfolded just outside the stadium. A police source said international players were in a hurry to leave as many wanted to return home, adding pressure to speed up the event.
The state government announced that RCB and KSCA will be included in the inquiry. RCB offered a compensation of Rs 10 lakh per family for those who lost their loved ones and launched a fund called ‘RCB Cares’ for the injured.