Chinnaswamy Stampede Report Blames RCB, Police, KSCA, and Organisers for Fatal Lapses.
A judicial inquiry into the June 4 stampede at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has pointed fingers at the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), DNA Networks, and Bengaluru Police for serious lapses in planning, security, and crowd management.
The one-man commission headed by former Karnataka High Court judge Justice John Michael D’Cunha submitted its findings to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday. According to sources, the report highlights “collusion” among organisers despite knowing the event was logistically unfeasible.
Key Findings:
Negligence Across the Board: The report describes “extreme negligence” and a “collective failure of responsibility” by all key stakeholders. Inadequate Police Presence: Only 79 officers were deployed inside the stadium, and the number outside was also insufficient. Ambulance availability was also lacking.
Delayed Response: Although the stampede occurred at 3:25 PM, the Police Commissioner was not informed until 5:30 PM. The Joint Commissioner arrived around 4 PM.
Poor Communication by RCB: The commission criticises RCB for unclear messaging regarding entry and the distribution of free passes, which led to crowd confusion. It also noted RCB was under pressure to hold the event as players were scheduled to depart the country soon.
No Crowd Control Measures: The report states that there was no proper barricading or crowd regulation in place.
Recommendations:
The commission has urged the Karnataka government to create detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for organising large-scale public events to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Comments are closed.