The Karnataka high court on Thursday described as excessive the state’s decision to suspend five senior police officials linked to the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tragic incident occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebration and led to 11 deaths, sparking widespread criticism of security preparations.
A division bench comprising Justices SG Pandit and TM Nadaf asked the state’s advocate general, Shashikiran Shetty, whether transferring the officers to other roles could have been a more suitable disciplinary measure. The court was hearing the government’s plea against the Central Administrative Tribunal’s July 1 order, which annulled the suspension of IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, then additional commissioner of police (West).
Calling the suspension “mechanical” and lacking adequate grounds, the tribunal ordered Vikash’s immediate reinstatement and advised the state to consider similar relief for the other four officers, including the city’s then police commissioner B Dayananda. The advocate general argued the tribunal had acted hastily and exceeded its jurisdiction by suggesting reinstatement of officials not party to the proceedings. He insisted the suspension was justified due to negligence in duty.
While declining to stay the tribunal’s directive, the high court scheduled further hearings for July 9 and cautioned Vikash against taking any further action. Vikash’s counsel assured the bench he would wait for the court’s decision, emphasizing that RCB had announced free passes without securing police consent, limiting time for security arrangements.