Police Had Flagged Security Risks Hours Before Fatal RCB Stadium Stampede
The deadly incident, which claimed 11 lives and left approximately 56 people injured, occurred despite advance warnings from police leadership about potential crowd control problems and inadequate security arrangements.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Legislature Security) M.N. Karibasavana Gowda had sent an official communication on the morning of June 4 to senior government officials, including G. Sathyavathi, Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. The letter outlined multiple security vulnerabilities that could compromise public safety during the high-profile cricket team felicitation ceremony.
The police official expressed grave concerns about managing the anticipated massive turnout, writing that "with lakhs of cricket fans expected to gather at Vidhana Soudha and a shortage of security personnel, managing the crowd will be a major challenge." He emphasized that RCB's nationwide popularity would likely draw enormous crowds to the venue.
Gowda's correspondence highlighted critical staffing deficiencies within the Vidhana Soudha Security Division, warning that the existing personnel would be insufficient to handle the expected crowd size safely. The letter specifically noted that hosting such a major event at the government complex would present unprecedented crowd management challenges.
To mitigate risks, the police official had recommended several precautionary measures. These included temporarily suspending all public entry passes for June 4, both online and offline, to limit attendance. He also suggested preventing government employees from bringing family members to the Secretariat and implementing an afternoon holiday to reduce foot traffic around the venue.
The communication also raised concerns about surveillance capabilities at Vidhana Soudha, describing the heritage building as a vital installation lacking proper monitoring infrastructure. Despite previous requests for comprehensive CCTV coverage, the surveillance system remained incomplete, hampering authorities' ability to effectively monitor the large gathering.
Additional safety concerns mentioned in the letter included the need for structural and electrical inspections of the event stage by the Public Works Department. Gowda insisted on conducting anti-sabotage checks at least two hours before the event and emphasized the importance of having a functional anti-drone system operational.
The police official stressed the urgent need to deploy additional personnel from outside Bengaluru, noting that coordination between various law enforcement divisions would be challenging given the short preparation time. Despite these concerns, he assured that his department would comply with the government's final decision while maintaining that strict security protocols were essential for protecting both the venue and attendees.
The revelation of this advance warning has raised questions about whether adequate action was taken to address the identified security gaps before the event proceeded as planned.
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