Veteran activist Vatal Nagaraj on Tuesday staged a protest in Bengaluru, condemning the tragic stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left over 60 injured. Addressing the media, he demanded ₹5 crore compensation for each deceased victim’s family, calling the incident a gross administrative failure.
He criticized the government’s decision to host celebrations simultaneously at the stadium and Vidhana Soudha without consulting senior police officials. “Did you ask the police for input? No. Then who is to blame?” Nagaraj asked. He held the state leadership accountable for authorizing the event without due diligence.
As Nagaraj and his supporters intensified the protest, police detained them at the scene. He also questioned the suspension of the city police commissioner, calling it unjust. “An honest officer was punished. That’s not justice. Instead of removing the real culprits in your cabinet, you’ve scapegoated a policeman,” he said, directly addressing CM Siddaramaiah.
While Nagaraj refused to seek the Home Minister’s resignation, he emphasized the need for a high-level, impartial inquiry. He added that the morale of the state police has been damaged by this politically motivated action.
The protest drew attention to the lack of coordination between civil and police authorities, igniting fresh debate about accountability in large public events.
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