Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Friday claimed that the police informed him about only one stampede death on the evening of June 4, although 11 people had lost their lives in the crush that occurred when fans of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricket team gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy stadium to celebrate the franchise’s victory in the Indian Premier League.
“The deaths occurred from 3.50 pm on the day of the stampede. However, the correct information was not given. Isn’t this wrong? Even when I asked at 5.45 pm, they informed me that there was only one death. By then, 11 deaths had already occurred,” Siddaramaiah said at an annual meeting of senior police officers in Bengaluru.
The Karnataka CM made the statement by way of a justification for the suspension of five police officers – including the former Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda, and two IPS officers of the rank of inspector general of police and superintendent of police.
“If the senior officers had given us the correct information immediately, the stadium program could have been cancelled,” Siddaramaiah said while referring to the events held on June 4 to felicitate the RCB team – first at the Vidhana Soudha and later at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.
“I have been an MLA since 1983 and a CM on two occasions. I have never seen such a stampede in Bengaluru before. Why is there an intelligence department? They did not provide proper and comprehensive information. As a result, 11 people died,” he said. The stadium stampede also resulted in the transfer of the state intelligence chief.
“I am also saddened that senior officials had to be suspended. But is it not true that there was a mistake?” the Karnataka chief minister said in a poser to the senior police officials.
The investigation into the stampede deaths has revealed that the first death was recorded at 3.45 pm.
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The probe has also revealed that 10 more deaths were recorded at three hospitals in central Bengaluru from 4.15 pm to 5.15 pm, even as the felicitation and celebration of the RCB cricket team were on at the two separate events.
The probe has also revealed that 10 more deaths were recorded at three hospitals in central Bengaluru from 4.15 pm to 5.15 pm, even as the felicitation and celebration of the RCB cricket team were on at the two separate events. (File)
The Opposition parties in Karnataka have accused the Congress government of going on with the victory celebrations despite deaths of fans being registered at hospitals ahead of the first event and through the course of the first and second events.
The government order suspending the five police officers had stated that the “situation was not discussed with the higher-ups for taking necessary guidance and advice in the matter. As a result, the situation went out of control and brought a lot of misery, loss of precious life, and embarrassment to the government.”
At the meeting with senior police officers on Friday, the Karnataka CM also called for better quality investigations of cases in the state by the police. “The failure to file chargesheets in criminal cases effectively and on time is also a major failure. Such a thing cannot be tolerated,” he said.
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On the issue of communal polarisation in the coastal districts of Karnataka being used as a political strategy by different radical groups, the Karnataka CM called for the police to take action against those who make hate speeches. “If you do not take action, then we should take action against you,” he said.