Seemanth Kumar Singh has been appointed as the new Bengaluru Police Commissioner amidst a crisis following a tragic stampede that claimed the lives of 11 people and injured 47 others. The incident occurred outside Chinnaswamy Stadium during a felicitation event for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team after their maiden IPL title win. This led to the immediate suspension of the previous commissioner, B. Dayananda, and several other senior police officials.

Singh is a 1996-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. Before assuming his current role, he served as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force. According to a notification from the Karnataka Home Department, he will hold the position of ADGP and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, until further orders.

Singh is not new to Karnataka, having served in various capacities throughout the state. Notably, he previously served as the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Dakshina Kannada district from December 2000 to February 2004, becoming the longest-serving SP in the district. During his tenure, he was recognized for effectively managing law and order situations, including communal riots. Later, he was transferred and served as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, headquarters, in Bangalore. In April 2025, he was posted as the Commissioner of Police to Mangalore city, after being promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). He also served as the Commissioner of Mangalore from 2010 to 2012.

The recent appointment comes at a critical time for the Bengaluru City Police. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed serious concerns over the security lapses that led to the stampede. Besides Dayananda, other suspended officers include the Additional Commissioner of Police, the DCP (Central), the stadium in-charge, the SHO of Cubbon Park Police Station, and the police housemaster. The Chief Minister has also ordered an inquiry into the incident, which will be handled by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), and a special commission will be set up to further probe the matter.

Singh's immediate priorities will likely include restoring public trust in the police force, ensuring the safety and security of Bengaluru's residents, and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. His past experience in handling sensitive law and order situations and his familiarity with the region may prove valuable in addressing these challenges.

The Bengaluru City Police, established in 1963, is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. It consists of 108 Law & Order police stations and 42 Traffic Police Stations, including two all-women police stations, and operates under the Karnataka State Police jurisdiction. The Commissioner of Police, who holds the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), heads the BCP. The Commissioner is assisted by Joint Commissioners of Police and Additional Commissioners for various operational, traffic, and administrative functions.