The Karnataka government’s suspension of several senior police officials — including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda — following the tragic stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium has sparked backlash from within the police fraternity.
Former Commissioner and BJP leader Bhaskar Rao lashed out at the Congress-led administration, calling June 6 “the darkest day in Karnataka Police history.” In a strongly worded post on X, he accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar of acting in “panic mode” and using police personnel as scapegoats for their own administrative failures.
Rao alleged that officers worked tirelessly to maintain order during the RCB victory event, and their suspension was not only unfair but politically motivated. “This isn’t justice. It’s political cover-up,” he wrote, directly blaming Shivakumar for organizing what he termed a “death march.” Rao added, “Everyone in Karnataka knows who’s truly responsible. This government has blood on its hands.”
The stampede, which claimed 11 lives and injured over 30, has led to massive public outrage. In response, the government suspended multiple officers from the Cubbon Park SHO to the City Police Commissioner and announced a judicial probe led by retired Justice Michael D’Cunha.
While the state defends the suspensions as part of swift accountability, critics like Rao say the real issues — poor planning, crowd mismanagement, and political optics — are being deliberately ignored.
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