Bengaluru stampede: CM Siddaramaiah orders crackdown on organisers, police

Karnataka CM also said that a judicial inquiry, headed by retired High Court judge Justice Michael D'Cunha, has been ordered into the incident

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that the organisers of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL victory event—including representatives of event management firm DNA Entertainment Networks and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)—will be arrested in connection with the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people.

 

The state government also suspended senior police officers, including the Commissioner of Police, the Additional Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division), and officers of the Cubbon Park Police Station.

 

Siddaramaiah further confirmed that a judicial inquiry, headed by retired High Court judge Justice Michael D'Cunha, has been ordered to investigate the tragedy.

 

 

The action follows the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against RCB, DNA Entertainment Networks, KSCA, and others.

 

The FIR, lodged at Cubbon Park police station, cites multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and unlawful assembly. 

 

High Court steps in 

Earlier in the day, the Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident and registered a case. The next hearing is scheduled for June 10. 

 

What happened at RCB’s victory event? 

A massive crowd had gathered outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday to celebrate RCB’s first IPL championship. The celebration turned tragic when a stampede broke out, killing 11 and injuring 33.

 

Siddaramaiah said the stampede began when crowds forced their way through a narrow stadium gate. “A large number of people gathered and broke the gate, which led to the stampede,” he said.

 

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the event was cut short as the situation deteriorated. “We urge people to stay calm. The programme concluded within 10 minutes. We are working to restore normalcy... Lakhs had turned up,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, both the state government and RCB have announced ₹10 lakh compensation each for the families of those who died in the incident.