Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday demanded a detailed report from the Congress-led state government regarding the tragic stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed at least 11 lives.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, the High Court registered a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and sought information on possible lapses and other critical aspects surrounding the tragedy. A division bench led by Acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao questioned the state on whether Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were followed and if sufficient safety measures were in place during the victory celebrations held at the stadium.
The bench raised key concerns, including the number of stadium gates, how many were open during the event, the absence of medical facilities on-site, and the lack of ambulances to assist those who collapsed due to overcrowding or heat. The court also sought clarity on whether all deaths occurred at the stadium gates.
Directing the government to submit a comprehensive status report, the court adjourned the matter to June 10.
Representing the state, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty informed the court that while the stadium's seating capacity is 35,000, nearly 2.5 lakh people had gathered for the celebration. He added that although 700 police personnel are usually deployed during cricket matches, 1,600 officers were on duty for the event due to the anticipated large crowd.
Shetty further stated that 21 gates provide access to the stadium and, according to government records, all were kept open. The crowd, he noted, included people from across Karnataka and neighbouring Tamil Nadu, contributing to the overwhelming turnout.
The court, referencing media reports, demanded answers on how such a severe lapse occurred and what exactly led to the incident. It noted that 75 individuals were injured and directed the government to provide specific details of each fatality, including the exact location within the stadium where the deaths occurred.
The bench also asked the state to outline measures it intends to implement to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
During the hearing, senior advocate G.R. Mohan claimed that only three stadium gates were actually open at the time of the event. Another senior counsel, Hemanth Raj, argued that there was no necessity for the state to felicitate Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) players, as they had not represented India. He further pointed out that allowing two major programmes on the same day contributed to the chaos.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Police have registered 11 Unnatural Death Reports (UDRs) in connection with the incident, but no First Information Report (FIR) has been filed. Sources indicated that the Cubbon Park police acted on directions from senior officers and chose not to name any individuals or organisations in the FIR. This has sparked public outrage, as authorities had the option of booking the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the event management company responsible for organising the celebration.
Adding to the growing demand for accountability, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje wrote to the Acting Chief Justice, urging the court to initiate a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Social activist Snehamayi Krishna also lodged a complaint with Cubbon Park police on Thursday, naming Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, KSCA officials, and others. The complaint calls for a case to be registered under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and has been forwarded to the Chief Justice’s bench for further consideration. The petitioner stressed that the matter is grave and warrants prompt legal action.
The Karnataka government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each bereaved family and has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
With IANS inputs