The Karnataka High Court has taken swift action following the tragic stampede at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, where 11 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. The incident occurred during celebrations marking Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) recent Indian Premier League (IPL) victory, their first in 18 years. The court has initiated proceedings to determine whether the tragedy could have been avoided, focusing on potential lapses in crowd management and safety measures.
The High Court's involvement began with the court taking suo motu cognisance of the incident and a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition being filed, seeking an unbiased inquiry supervised by a sitting judge. The petition argues that the State machinery failed to provide adequate safety arrangements despite knowing RCB's massive fan base, proceeding with victory celebrations in a hurried manner. The court has directed the state government to submit a comprehensive status report, detailing the events leading to the stampede, assessing whether it could have been prevented, and outlining remedial measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. This report is expected to provide a clear timeline of events and a preliminary assessment of responsibility.
The state government has already ordered a magisterial inquiry, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban. However, concerns have been raised regarding the independence and impartiality of this inquiry, given that the Deputy Commissioner is answerable to the same administration under scrutiny. The PIL petitioner argued that an internal probe cannot be expected to conduct an impartial and independent investigation into the incident. Calls for an inquiry led by a sitting High Court judge have grown louder, with many believing that only a truly independent investigation can uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has demanded the immediate resignation of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and urged for the formation of an inquiry committee led by a sitting High Court judge to probe the stampede.
Eyewitness accounts and initial reports suggest that a combination of factors contributed to the disaster. While the stadium has a capacity of around 30,000, it's estimated that over 2.5 lakh people gathered, fueled by the announcement of free entry to the event. This sudden influx of people overwhelmed the existing security measures. The Karnataka government informed the High Court that over 1,000 personnel were deployed to maintain law and order. However, this proved insufficient to manage the massive crowd.
The High Court has adjourned the matter for further hearing on Tuesday, after taking the state government's status report on record. During the hearing, the court will likely examine the details of the security arrangements, the decision-making process regarding free entry, and the communication strategies employed to manage the crowd. The court's inquiry will be crucial in identifying the root causes of the stampede and recommending measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. This includes examining protocols for large public gatherings, assessing the adequacy of security personnel, and improving communication strategies to manage crowd flow. The investigation aims to provide closure to the victims' families and restore public confidence in the safety and management of public events.
