The aftermath of the tragic stampede that occurred during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) felicitation event in Bengaluru continues to unfold, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah facing increased scrutiny and criticism. The stampede, which took place on June 4th, 2025, claimed the lives of 11 people and injured dozens more.
In the wake of the tragedy, Siddaramaiah has defended his presence at the event, stating that he attended as an invitee and was not involved in organizing it. He clarified that the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) extended the invitation, informing him that the Governor would also be in attendance. "We didn't organise the function, the KSCA did," Siddaramaiah told reporters. "They also informed me that the Governor is also coming, I only went there. I don't know anything apart from that I only went there after I was invited, they didn't invite me to the stadium."
Adding to the controversy, Siddaramaiah addressed the timing of when he received information about the deaths. He stated, "Actually at 3:50 pm death was reported at the hospital. I got to know only at 5:45 pm. Until then, I did not know about the stampede and deaths." This timeline has raised questions about why the felicitation event continued despite the reported deaths.
A letter written by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) MN Karibasavana Gowda on the day of the event has surfaced, revealing that the Karnataka government had been warned about the potential risks of holding the felicitation at Vidhana Soudha. The letter cautioned top bureaucrats about possible overcrowding and a lack of security, emphasizing the area's lack of proper CCTV coverage and its status as a sensitive government zone. Gowda specifically warned that "lakhs of cricket fans are likely to come to Vidhana Soudha," and pointed out that a shortage of security personnel would make crowd control difficult.
The government's response to the tragedy has included the suspension of several police officers, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, for alleged dereliction of duty. However, this action has been met with criticism from the opposition BJP, who accuse the government of making the police scapegoats. Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka has alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar were directly responsible for the stampede.
Siddaramaiah has defended the action against police officials, stating that they "did not do their job properly and did not keep him in the loop." He further emphasized that no untoward incident occurred during the felicitation function at Vidhana Soudha, while acknowledging that the first death was reported at 3:50 p.m. but he was only informed about it at 5:45 p.m. that day.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Karnataka government has increased the compensation amount for the families of the victims from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. Royal Challengers Bengaluru has also announced an additional Rs 10 lakh compensation for each of the victims' families and plans to establish a support fund for those injured in the stampede.
The incident has sparked a political storm, with the BJP demanding the resignation of Siddaramaiah, his deputy D.K.Shivakumar, and Home Minister G.Parameshwara. Siddaramaiah has dismissed these demands, questioning why resignations were not sought in similar past incidents, such as the Kumbh Mela stampede in Uttar Pradesh. He has also accused the BJP of politicizing the issue and making false allegations against him.
