Karnataka told the High Court Today (June 5) that over 1,000 police officers were deployed at the RCB event where 11 people died in a stampede, countering DK Shivakumar’s claim of 5,000 cops. The government said crowd surge from over 2.5 lakh people caused the tragedy despite heavy arrangements.
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BENGALURU: In a tragic incident at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during a Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) event, 11 people lost their lives in a stampede.
The Karnataka government has now informed the Karnataka High Court that more than 1,000 police officers were present on that day, including top-ranking officials like the City Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), and Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs).
This official figure comes a day after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar publicly stated that-
“5,000 police personnel were present to manage the crowd.”
His statement raised eyebrows and led to legal scrutiny, which prompted the court to seek actual details from the state authorities.
Responding to this, the state government clarified in court that along with police deployment, several other safety arrangements had also been made. They mentioned that water tankers, ambulances, and command and control vehicles were deployed. The state told the court that this was “far more” than the arrangements made during earlier cricket matches at the same venue.
However, despite these efforts, the crowd situation went out of control. According to the government, more than 2.5 lakh people turned up near the stadium. Many among them believed that entry to the event was free, which led to massive overcrowding. In contrast, the stadium has a maximum capacity of only 35,000 people, and usually, around 30,000 tickets are sold.
During the hearing, Karnataka’s Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty appeared before the bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwara Rao and Justice CM Joshi.
He told the court,
“We are not taking an adversarial approach. Whatever direction the court gives, we are ready to act.”
He also explained that people started gathering around noon, and by 3 pm, the stadium and surrounding areas were completely packed. The crowd also included people who had travelled from outside Karnataka. Shetty presented a map of the stadium highlighting where the deaths took place: Gate 7 (4 deaths), Gate 6 (3 deaths), and Queens Road (4 deaths).
When the bench asked how many gates the stadium had, the government responded that there are 21 gates, and all of them were open during the event. Additionally, some members of the public had already entered the stadium and were seated inside when the chaos began.
The bench also asked whether there was a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in place for such large gatherings. In response, the state admitted that SOPs for such situations are still in development and referred to them as “futuristic.”
Advocate General Shetty informed the court that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had already instructed officials to create a proper SOP immediately after the incident, and the work on that began on the same night of the tragedy.
The state also clarified that ticketing and overall crowd management for the event was handled by RCB and its event managers. Advocate General Shetty said that an FIR has already been registered, and notices have been issued to the relevant parties to check whether any negligence occurred during planning or execution.
The Court issued a notice to the state government in connection with the tragic stampede at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which claimed 11 lives during an RCB event.
The court has sought a detailed response from the authorities regarding the crowd management failures and safety arrangements at the venue.
The matter is now scheduled for hearing on June 10, where the government is expected to submit its official explanation and action taken report.
EARLIER TODAY IN HC
The Karnataka High Court earlier today decided to look into the horrifying stampede that occurred outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed the lives of 11 people and injured around 47 others.
The crowd had gathered to celebrate the historic Indian Premier League (IPL) victory of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricket team after 18 years.
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The matter was brought up this morning in front of a Bench led by Acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice CM Joshi.
Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, appearing on behalf of the Karnataka State Government, assured the Court that the government is working actively to handle the matter.
“We are taking all steps. We will submit a report. I will get instructions. I will place what we have done, just on facts what has happened. We are only assisting, there is no adversarial (approach). We are as eager as any citizen of the State. If there is any suggestion, let them pass it on,”
-he told the Court.
The High Court responded by saying that it would hear the case in more detail at 2:30 PM today.
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According to multiple news reports, the stampede took place outside the stadium on Wednesday, a day after RCB won their first IPL title.
A huge crowd had gathered to celebrate and meet the players, who were expected to arrive at the stadium for a victory event.
Initially, tickets with entry fees were being issued for the event. However, it is said that a last-minute announcement allowing free entry led to sudden chaos.
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When a massive number of fans rushed to the gates to enter freely, the situation spiraled out of control, resulting in the tragic deaths and injuries.
The Karnataka State Government has already ordered a magisterial inquiry to investigate what went wrong and who should be held responsible.
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