Bengaluru: In the wake of the tragic stampede at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) felicitation ceremony that left 11 people dead and 47 injured, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced the suspension of key police officials, including the city’s Police Commissioner and his deputy. The Chief Minister also confirmed that further action would be taken against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and event management firm DNA Entertainment, which was responsible for the event’s publicity.
Seemanth Kumar Singh will replace outgoing Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda. The government held the top police officers accountable for “substantial dereliction of duty” in the lead-up to the event, which attracted a massive crowd following RCB’s first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title win after an 18-year wait.
Sources revealed that RCB had informed the police on June 3 of their plan to host a victory parade and celebration the next day. Despite receiving the intimation, the Police Commissioner’s office failed to issue a formal response denying permission or suggesting alternate arrangements, citing the short time frame to manage such a large gathering.
The state government pointed out that the event went ahead without adhering to standard protocols. “Despite knowing the scale of fan turnout, the organisers tweeted about the celebrations and invited fans to the stadium without issuing tickets or passes,” the government said in a statement. It further noted that no steps were taken to organise the event systematically, provide public guidance, or deploy additional police for crowd management.
In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has handed over the investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Initially, a one-man commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice Michael Cunha was tasked with probing the incident.
The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where thousands of fans had gathered to celebrate RCB’s historic IPL win. As crowds swelled far beyond the expected turnout — with estimates suggesting up to eight lakh people — the situation quickly spiralled out of control. While security was concentrated at Vidhana Soudha, where political dignitaries including the Chief Minister were present, crowd control outside the stadium proved grossly inadequate.
According to preliminary reports, barricades were breached as fans rushed to enter the stadium. The resulting chaos led to a deadly crush at the gates. Despite the government’s claim that the event was organised on short notice, RCB had posted details of the felicitation ceremony on social media on June 4. Their post included the parade route from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, a link for free passes, and a request for fans to follow police guidelines.
The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and directed the state government to file a status report. The court has asked for details about the causes of the stampede, whether the tragedy could have been prevented, and what measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
In the meantime, a formal police case has been registered against RCB, KSCA, and DNA Entertainment. The incident has sparked widespread criticism of the government’s and the organisers’ handling of the event, with opposition parties like the BJP accusing the state of gross mismanagement.
