RCB Victory Parade Stampede Updates | In a sweeping administrative shake-up following the tragic stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations, the Karnataka government has sacked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political secretary K Govindaraj and transferred state intelligence chief Hemant Nimbalkar.
This comes a day after the suspension of five senior police officers, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, in what the government says is a direct response to “substantial dereliction of duty.”
Political Secretary Pushed for Parade Despite Warnings
Sources revealed that Govindaraj played a key role in allowing the RCB victory celebrations to go ahead despite police objections. During a crucial meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence on Wednesday morning, hours before the tragedy, Govindaraj reportedly pushed for two celebration events—one at Vidhana Soudha and another at Chinnaswamy Stadium—even though the police commissioner had rejected plans for three major gatherings.
The stampede occurred outside Chinnaswamy Stadium when a massive crowd of fans surged to catch a glimpse of the RCB team, who had just clinched their first IPL title in 18 years. A rumour of free entry is believed to have sparked panic, leading to the stampede that killed 11 people, including a 14-year-old girl, and injured 47 others.
Government Crackdown: High-Level Suspensions and Arrests
On Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the immediate suspension of top police officials, including B Dayananda (Bengaluru Police Commissioner), C Balakrishna (ACP), Shekhar H Tekkannavar (DCP, Central Division), Vikash Kumar Vikash (Additional CP) and A K Girish (Circle Inspector, Cubbon Park Police Station).
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“It is found that there has been, on the face of it, substantial dereliction of duty by these officers,” read the suspension order.
Dismissing opposition criticism that the state was using officers as scapegoats, CM Siddaramaiah stated: “They are speaking for the sake of politics. I don’t want to do politics in this matter. Those responsible prima facie, who have not fulfilled their responsibility properly, have been suspended.”
Following these suspensions, K Govindaraj and intelligence chief Hemant Nimbalkar were also removed from their posts.
Arrests Begin in Stampede Investigation
The Karnataka police have made four arrests in connection with the deadly incident. Among those arrested is Nikhil Sosale, head of marketing for RCB, who was apprehended at Bengaluru airport on Friday morning while attempting to fly to Mumbai. Sosale handles all promotional activities for the franchise.
Three others arrested were senior officials from DNA Entertainment Private Limited, the event management company that organised the celebrations. This includes Sunil Mathew, the Vice-President responsible for IPL events.
Police are also pursuing two officials from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). However, the KSCA has moved the Karnataka High Court, arguing that it only rents out the Chinnaswamy Stadium and is not liable for crowd management. The court has restrained authorities from taking coercive action against KSCA office bearers until June 16.
