Bengaluru stampede: Concerned police officers suspended as arrangement was not adequate, says CM
Mysore (Karnataka) [India], June 8 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that no untoward incident took place on the Vidhana Soudha premises during the felicitation on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha (state Assembly) and concerned police officers have been suspended as arrangement was not adequate at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) are making politically motivated allegations in the stampede case that took place during the RCB celebrations at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He spoke to the media at the Mysore airport on Sunday.
'The BJP is making politically motivated allegations. Based on the information that appears to be available regarding the incident, the government has taken action against the police concerned,' CM Siddaramaiah said.
He said that a judicial inquiry has been ordered as per the demand of the BJP and JDS. Similarly, action has been taken against the police. He said that the government personnel and administration departments had been given conditional permission to organise the programme.
In response to a letter written to the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms not to hold the programme in view of the security of the Vidhana Soudha, the DPAR had given conditional permission.
'It was the duty of the police to organise the programme by following the conditions. This permission was related to the Vidhana Soudha programme, and no untoward incident took place on the Vidhana Soudha premises. A stampede occurred during the programme at Chinnaswamy Stadium. The police should have provided adequate security here. But since the arrangement was not adequate, the concerned police officers have been suspended,' he said.
He further said that the police department did not provide comprehensive information about the police security arrangements at the programme venue.
'It was not a government programme at Chinnaswamy Stadium, and I was not even invited for this. BJP and JDS are making politically motivated statements. Although the injured were admitted to the hospital at 3.50 pm, I received information at 5.45 pm that a stampede had broken out near the stadium and people had died. The stampede incident should not have happened. It is very sad,' he said.
Giving feedback on whether the government has paid attention to relocating the low-capacity cricket stadium to another place, he said that the government will examine this matter.
'Such an unpleasant incident should not happen during any government's term. This incident has personally hurt the government,' he said.
CM Siddaramaiah said that five officers of the police department have been suspended. 'The intelligence chief and the political secretary to the Chief Minister have been replaced. The case has been considered seriously, and appropriate action has been taken. The government has not done anything wrong. But the incident has caused sorrow,' he said.
He said that the state BJP's duplicitous stance is visible.
'The state BJP has written a letter saying that RCB has fulfilled the dream of many years, and not allowing the procession in an open bus shows the inadequacy of the Home Minister. But now they are complaining about the government after the incident,' CM Siddaramaiah added.
He further said that the government has not taken any wrong step in this case.
'And since legal action has been taken against the guilty, there is no question of embarrassment for the government. In the case of the Kumbh Mela bridge collapse in Uttar Pradesh, did the Chief Minister there resign when people died? Did the BJP and JDS ask for the resignation of the Chief Minister there?' he questioned.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team was officially felicitated by the Karnataka government on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha (State Assembly) on June 4, before the stampede incident occurred at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Following the Bengaluru stampede that claimed 11 lives and left many injured, the Karnataka Government on June 5 suspended top police officials at the Cubbon Park Police Station and formed a one-man commission under a retired High Court Judge to probe the incident. (ANI)
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