The Bengaluru police force is currently facing a period of upheaval following the tragic stampede at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) victory celebrations on Wednesday. The incident, which resulted in 11 deaths and over 50 injuries, has triggered a series of swift actions by the Karnataka government, leading to unease within the police ranks.
In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the suspension of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, citing gross negligence and failure in crowd management. This decision was followed by the suspension of several other senior police officials, including Cubbon Park Circle Inspector A.K. Girish, ACP C. Balakrishna, Central DCP Shekhar H. Tekkannavar, and Additional Commissioner Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was overseeing security arrangements at the stadium.
To fill the void left by the suspensions, the government appointed senior IPS officer Seemanth Kumar Singh as the new Commissioner of Police for Bengaluru. Singh, a 1996-batch IPS officer, was previously serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) with the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force. He officially assumed his new role on Friday morning, acknowledging the "very different circumstances" and expressing confidence in restoring public confidence and ensuring safety, drawing on his prior experience in the city police.
The government's actions, however, have not been without controversy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition party in Karnataka, has launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, accusing it of using the police officers as scapegoats to deflect blame and public anger. BJP leaders have alleged that the police were "overruled by political pressure" and that the government is attempting to cover up its own failures by sacrificing the officers. Karnataka BJP unit President B.Y. Vijayendra directly blamed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar for prioritizing "photo-ops over the safety of innocent, young citizens." He further claimed that the police had initially denied permission for the event but were pressured into giving clearance due to political directives.
The Congress party, on the other hand, has accused the BJP of politicizing the tragedy and playing "dirty politics" over dead bodies. The ruling party maintains that the suspensions were necessary to ensure accountability and to send a strong message that negligence will not be tolerated. Some leaders within the Congress have pointed fingers at the BJP, alleging that BJP workers instigated trouble at a recent event, leading to security breaches.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the state government has initiated multiple investigations into the stampede. A judicial inquiry, led by retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice Michael D'Cunha, has been ordered to probe the incident and submit a report within a month. The case has also been handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID), and arrests have been made, including representatives from RCB, the event management company DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
The swift and decisive actions taken by the government, coupled with the strong reactions from the opposition, have created an atmosphere of unease within the Bengaluru police force. While some may view the suspensions as a necessary step to ensure accountability, others may feel that they are being unfairly targeted and used as scapegoats for a tragedy that was the result of multiple factors. The new police chief, Seemanth Kumar Singh, faces the daunting task of restoring morale within the force while also addressing the public's concerns about safety and security. His leadership will be crucial in navigating this challenging period and ensuring that such incidents are prevented in the future.
