The tragic stampede in Bengaluru, which resulted in 11 fatalities following Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) IPL victory celebrations, has brought to light a critical lapse in judgment and a disregard for safety protocols. It has emerged that senior police officers had issued warnings against holding a celebratory event at the legislature, cautioning against potential risks due to a shortage of security personnel and the sensitive nature of the venue.
Prior to the event, M.N. Karibasavana Gowda, in charge of security at the Vidhana Soudha, sent a written warning to top bureaucrats, emphasizing the high likelihood of massive crowds and the challenges of managing security effectively. The letter also highlighted the lack of adequate CCTV coverage at the venue, further raising concerns about safety. Despite these clear warnings, the celebrations were allegedly rushed through with inadequate crowd control measures.
According to sources, the DCP's note was shared with the then Bengaluru police commissioner B. Dayananda, who in turn flagged it to the chief secretary, Shalini Rajneesh. However, permissions were still granted. Adding fuel to the political fire, Union minister and JD(S) functionary HD Kumaraswamy alleged Saturday that the celebrations were "pre-planned" even before RCB won. "The FIR says permission for the June 4 event was sought on June 3 at 6pm - 90 minutes before the final even began. Did they dream about winning?
Further reports indicate that Bengaluru police had advised caution and suggested delaying the celebrations, recommending that the event be held the following Sunday to allow emotions to subside. Police proposed a full city victory parade covering major stretches of Bengaluru to mark RCB's IPL win. The idea was to keep the team moving through different areas so fans could celebrate from the roadsides instead of overcrowding and flooding one location but this suggestion was flatly rejected by the organisers and the state government, despite warnings of the chaos it could lead to. They strongly advised against a road procession, suggesting instead that the players be taken directly to the stadium for a single-venue event. These recommendations were reportedly overruled due to logistical concerns and political considerations, including the scheduled departure of foreign players and the government's desire to capitalize on public sentiment.
The police had reportedly said no to holding a grand event at such a short notice as the police force had spent the night on the ground till 4 am controlling heavy celebrations in the central business district on Tuesday, June 3, after the RCB win and were stretched thin. However, the government directed the police to focus mainly on VIP security at Vidhana Soudha and along the HAL-Taj West End route, where the Deputy Chief Minister and players were arriving. At the same time, by 11 am, fans started pouring into the stadium - where the police force was minimal. Even before the police were clearly communicated about the celebrations, fans started swelling the venue after seeing free passes post on RCB's social media and the personnel who were to be part of the security at the stadium were themselves stuck amid the crowd.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Karnataka government has taken action by suspending top police officials, including the Bengaluru city police commissioner, for the lapses leading to the stampede. A judicial commission has been formed to investigate the incident, focusing on planning, coordination, and crowd management failures. Additionally, a case of culpable homicide has been registered against RCB, the event organizer DNA Entertainment Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), citing negligence and poor crowd control as primary factors contributing to the disaster. The FIR confirms that 11 people died in the chaos and 64 others, including police personnel, were injured. It blames the organisers for negligence, despite prior warnings from the police about crowd control risks.
