Bengaluru: In the aftermath of the tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, which claimed 11 lives during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebrations, the Union government has formally approved the suspension of three senior IPS officers: B Dayananda, Vikas Kumar, and Shekhar, as reported by India Today.
The decision aligns with the Karnataka government’s earlier recommendation to hold the officers accountable for serious lapses in crowd control and event security. The Centre has not only backed the disciplinary action but has also instructed the Karnataka government to file charge sheets against the trio within 30 days, escalating the accountability process.
CM Siddaramaiah: “Unprecedented and Preventable”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed deep concern, calling it one of the worst law and order failures he has witnessed in his decades-long political career. He criticised the state’s intelligence network for its inability to issue timely alerts and prevent the disaster. During a review meeting, he noted, “This failure was avoidable and inexcusable.”
He also highlighted long-standing issues in police operations, particularly the delayed filing of charge sheets in criminal cases, calling for sweeping reforms in investigation and response mechanisms.
Broader Impact
The stampede has triggered nationwide outrage and sparked urgent conversations around event security, crowd management, and law enforcement accountability. The incident is now being regarded as a turning point for systemic reform in Karnataka’s policing structure.