FIR filed in Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede case; RCB management named among accused

Bengaluru, June 5 The police have filed an FIR against the management of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), DNA event management company, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), naming them as accused regarding the stampede incident near the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on June 4 which resulted in deaths of at least 11 people.

The development has come 24 hours after the tragic incident and amid criticism from the opposition and activists who questioned the government’s move to register only an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) instead of filing an FIR.

The Cubbon Park police in the Central Division of Bengaluru city has filed the FIR. The RCB management is named as the first accused in the case. DNA Event Management Company has been named as the second accused, and the KSCA has been named as the third accused party in the case.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means).

The police have mentioned 'others' in the FIR along with the three parties, indicating that more individuals are likely to be booked.

Slamming the Congress-led government in Karnataka for not filing an FIR regarding the stampede incident near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru which resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people, the Karnataka BJP on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the incident by a sitting High Court judge.

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday sought a report from the Congress-led Karnataka government on the lapses and other details concerning the stampede incident near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people.

Taking cognisance of the stampede incident, the high court registered a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and sought a report from the state government.

A division bench, headed by acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, expressing concern over the tragedy, questioned the government on whether the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were followed and if adequate guidelines were framed to handle the situation at the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the victory celebrations.

Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, representing the government, submitted the report on the tragedy, stating that while the seating capacity of the Chinnaswamy Stadium is 35,000, about 2.5 lakh people had gathered. He informed the court that normally, 700 police personnel are deputed to monitor the crowd during cricket matches, but during the celebration event, the department had deputed 1,600 police personnel to control the crowd.

Earlier, the Karnataka Police had registered Unnatural Death Cases (UDR) regarding the incident involving the deaths of 11 people during the stampede. The Cubbon Park police have registered 11 UDR cases, and no FIR was registered in connection with the development until now.

This move had led to outrage, as the police department had the option to book KSCA and the DNA event management company.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has written a letter to the acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court with an urgent request for suo moto intervention and judicial enquiry into the stampede incident.

Also, social activist Snehamayi Krishna had filed a complaint with the Cubbon Park police on Thursday against CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, office-bearers of the KSCA, and others. In his complaint, Krishna demanded that the police register the case under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the BNS Act.

A copy of the complaint has also been sent to the bench of the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, and the petition has pleaded for action to be initiated against the guilty, stating it is a serious matter.

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