The Crossbill Sports Desk
A day after a tragic stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium claimed 11 lives and left over 50 injured, the Bengaluru Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and event management firm DNA.
The FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, and unlawful assembly.
The FIR invokes Sections 105, 115, 118, 121, 125(12), 132, 142, and 190 of the new criminal code, pointing to serious lapses in crowd control, planning, and public safety. Authorities have indicated that the accused parties will be summoned as part of the investigation.
The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and directed the state government to submit a detailed status report.
The court has asked the government to explain the sequence of events that led to the stampede, assess whether the tragedy could have been averted, and outline the preventive and remedial measures that can be adopted in future.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, to be led by Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha.
On Thursday, Jagadeesha visited the stadium premises and confirmed that notices will be sent to the KSCA, RCB, and Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, requiring them to participate in the inquiry.
The chaos erupted on Wednesday morning, when RCB announced plans for a celebratory open-bus victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium, following the team’s historic win after an 18-year drought.
However, Bengaluru traffic police later cancelled the event citing traffic management concerns. Despite this, tens of thousands gathered around the stadium, with crowd estimates soaring beyond one lakh.
As the crowd—comprising both ticket holders and those without tickets—waited in anticipation, partial opening of Gate 3 triggered a sudden surge, leading to the deadly stampede.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar addressed the tragedy with deep sorrow.
“We are deeply hurt. The victims are our own family. The image of Karnataka, the image of Bengaluru. Yes we take it (responsibility). We are not blaming others though it has happened very unexpectedly. No one expected such a crowd. After 18 years (of wait for RCB’s victory), I don’t know what was boiling in the youngsters and they all came. That is debatable…things have happened,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
He further added that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G. Parameshwara, and the entire state administration were shocked by the incident and are united in mourning.
The FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, and unlawful assembly.
The FIR invokes Sections 105, 115, 118, 121, 125(12), 132, 142, and 190 of the new criminal code, pointing to serious lapses in crowd control, planning, and public safety. Authorities have indicated that the accused parties will be summoned as part of the investigation.
The Karnataka High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and directed the state government to submit a detailed status report.
The court has asked the government to explain the sequence of events that led to the stampede, assess whether the tragedy could have been averted, and outline the preventive and remedial measures that can be adopted in future.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, to be led by Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha.
On Thursday, Jagadeesha visited the stadium premises and confirmed that notices will be sent to the KSCA, RCB, and Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, requiring them to participate in the inquiry.
The chaos erupted on Wednesday morning, when RCB announced plans for a celebratory open-bus victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium, following the team’s historic win after an 18-year drought.
However, Bengaluru traffic police later cancelled the event citing traffic management concerns. Despite this, tens of thousands gathered around the stadium, with crowd estimates soaring beyond one lakh.
As the crowd—comprising both ticket holders and those without tickets—waited in anticipation, partial opening of Gate 3 triggered a sudden surge, leading to the deadly stampede.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar addressed the tragedy with deep sorrow.
“We are deeply hurt. The victims are our own family. The image of Karnataka, the image of Bengaluru. Yes we take it (responsibility). We are not blaming others though it has happened very unexpectedly. No one expected such a crowd. After 18 years (of wait for RCB’s victory), I don’t know what was boiling in the youngsters and they all came. That is debatable…things have happened,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
He further added that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G. Parameshwara, and the entire state administration were shocked by the incident and are united in mourning.
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