Bengaluru: The recent stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) victory celebration at the Chinnaswamy Stadium has triggered a major political storm in Karnataka, with a human rights group urging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to suspend the state government pending a judicial inquiry into the incident.
In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the Citizen Rights Foundation (CRF) has held Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar “directly responsible” for the incident that claimed 11 lives on June 4. The organization alleged that the event was allowed to proceed despite objections from the police and key administrative departments.
According to CRF, CM Siddaramaiah, who also holds the Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) portfolio, and DCM Shivakumar overrode concerns raised by the police and facilitated the RCB event due to their proximity with officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The KSCA reportedly organized the event in collaboration with RCB, a franchise owned by a foreign entity.
FIR Filed, Top Cops Suspended
Soon after the tragedy, the government suspended senior police officials, including the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner. The move, CRF alleges, is an attempt to deflect blame and obstruct a free and fair investigation.
The rights body accused the government of using administrative machinery to promote a private sports franchise and held it accountable for lapses in crowd management. The organization claims that tickets were illegally distributed and revenue was collected unlawfully by KSCA officials under the government’s watch.
‘Political Branding’ at a Private Event?
The controversy further intensified as both CM Siddaramaiah and DCM Shivakumar were prominently seen at the Vidhana Soudha felicitation ceremony organized for RCB, which drew thousands of attendees. The event, CRF claims, was an unofficial promotional event for a private entity, staged with the help of public resources, including state-owned vehicles used to ferry players such as Virat Kohli.
Despite clear warnings from the police, the programme went ahead, allegedly under political pressure. “Law and order collapsed due to the misuse of power,” said CRF president K.A. Paul, who led the delegation to Raj Bhavan.
Call for Parity with ‘Pushpa-2’ Incident
Drawing parallels with the Pushpa-2 movie-related stampede in Telangana — in which actor Allu Arjun faced legal action — the CRF questioned why no action has been taken against DCM Shivakumar or the celebrities involved in the Bengaluru event.
The organization further alleged that the FIR was deliberately delayed to shield senior political figures and claimed that a fair investigation under the current administration is unlikely.
