Tribunal blames RCB for fatal stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium, cites lack of police consent for victory parade

Hindustan Times

01-07-2025

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the police before announcing the team's victory parade outside the Chinnaswamy cricket stadium on June 4, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has said. The stampede occurred on June 4 evening outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium during an event organised to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's win in the IPL.(AFP)
'…Prima facie, it appears that the RCB is responsible for the gathering of about three to five lakh people. The RCB did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the Police," the Bengaluru bench of the tribunal comprising Justice BK Shrivastava and administrative member Santhosh Mehra said in an order.
"Suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result of aforesaid information the public were gathered,' it added.
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The bench made the observation as it quashed the Karnataka government's suspension order against senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, who faced the action in the wake of a fatal stampede here last month.
The stampede during the victory celebrations of the RCB after their IPL 2025 campaign claimed the lives of 11 people, drawing sharp criticism over the planning and crowd management.
In the wake of the stampede, the Karnataka government suspended three senior IPS officers – Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, DCP Shekar H Tekkannavar and Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash.
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Vikash had challenged the government's June 5 suspension order before the tribunal, which also included the names of the other two senior officers. 'Sufficient time was not given to police'
In its Tuesday order, the tribunal said that the police were unable to make proper arrangements for the celebrations due to a paucity of time.
'Sufficient time was not given to the Police. The public was available in the whole night intervening 3rd to 4th June, 2025 on the streets of Bengaluru and Police was doing the management of aforesaid public,' the tribunal said.
'Another function was also organised by the State Government in the campus of the 'Vidhana Soudha'. Police was also deputed at that place. Suddenly, the RCB created the aforesaid type of nuisance without any prior permission,' it added.
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The bench further said that it cannot be expected from the police to make arrangements as per the police act or other rules in just 12 hours.
'Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither 'God'(Bhagwan) nor Magician and also not having the magic powers like 'Alladdin ka Chirag' which was able to fulfil any wish only by rubbing a finger,' it said.