RCB Victory Celebration Stampede: Bengaluru Police Commissioner, Other Cops Suspended

RCB victory celebration stampede: In the wake of the devastating stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced the suspension of several top-ranking police officials, including Bengaluru's Police Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, and other senior officers.

Addressing the media, CM Siddaramaiah said,“Cubbon Park Police Station Inspector, Station House Officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, the cricket stadium in-charge, Additional Commissioner of Police, and the Commissioner of Police have been suspended with immediate effect.”

The crackdown comes as the state reels from the fallout of the tragedy that occurred during celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL title win. The Chief Minister also confirmed that a one-man commission, headed by retired High Court judge Justice Michael D'Cunha, has been appointed to probe the incident in detail.

"We have also decided to arrest representatives of event manager DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and RCB who were involved in organising the event,” Siddaramaiah added.

RCB victory celebration stampede: FIR Filed Against RCB, DNA and KSCA

Earlier in the day, the Bengaluru police registered an FIR against the organisers and stakeholders, including RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment, under serious charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The FIR, filed at Cubbon Park Police Station, invoked multiple sections, including voluntarily causing hurt and unlawful assembly. The complaint was initiated by a police inspector involved in the incident.

Charges in the FIR included voluntarily causing hurt (section 115), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means (section 118), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty (section 121) and unlawful assembly (section 190) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban, G Jagadeesha, who is heading the magisterial inquiry, confirmed that summons will be sent to KSCA, RCB, and the Police Commissioner to join the probe. The Karnataka High Court, which took suo motu cognisance of the tragedy, has asked the state to file a detailed status report by June 10.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara also announced the formulation of a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for large-scale public events to prevent such tragedies in the future.

MENAFN05062025007385015968ID1109642965