Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka Revokes Suspension of Top Cop, 3 Others; Internal Probe To Continue
The Karnataka government on Monday revoked the suspension of former Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and three other officers in connection with the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, in which 11 people died and at least 70 were left injured.
The Siddaramaiah-led government issued the revocation order following representations by the suspended officers and the submission of two inquiry reports – one by district magistrate G Jagadish as part of the magisterial inquiry, and the other by the one-person judicial commission headed by Justice John Michael Cunha, a retired Karnataka High Court judge.
The inquiries were conducted to investigate the stampede that took place during the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations.
The order stated: 'Since both the judicial commission and the magisterial committee have completed their enquiry into the stampede incident and submitted their reports to the government on 10.07.2025 (July 10) and 11.07.2025 (July 11), respectively, and since the officers have also submitted representations requesting to revoke their suspension, the suspension stands revoked."
Despite the revocation, however, Dayananda – an officer of the rank of additional director general of police (ADGP) – will not be promoted to DGP even as a vacancy arises on July 31, following the retirement of Malini Krishnamurthy. This is due to a pending departmental inquiry against him.
The suspensions of superintendent of police (SP) Shekar H Tekkannavar, deputy SP C Balakrishna, Cubbon Park police inspector AK Girish have also been revoked alongside Dayananda's.
'Despite revoking the suspension, the officers will have to face a departmental inquiry, which may be headed by a former judge or a former IAS officer. Only if the departmental inquiry gives all of them a clean chit can you say they are exonerated," a government source told News18.
Among the suspended senior officers was IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was serving as additional Commissioner of Police (West) at the time of the incident. He had approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), seeking reinstatement soon after his suspensions as announced.
The suspension of Vikash Kumar Vikash, former additional commissioner of police (west), is not considered in this order as it remains pending with the high court. It depends on the decision on the state government's appeal against the order by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which Kumar had brought in his favour.
On July 10, the CAT passed an order quashing Kumar's suspension and directed the government to reinstate him. He told the tribunal that he was made a scapegoat and had been suspended without being given an opportunity to explain.
The CAT further ruled that his suspension period should be treated as official duty. He was then serving as additional commissioner of police (west) of Bengaluru City.
His suspension, however, has not been revoked as yet because the state government has challenged the CAT's order in the HC. While revoking the other suspensions, it said the departmental inquiries against all the officers will continue.
The stampede on June 4 left 11 people dead and dozens injured after massive crowds gathered at and around the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) historic IPL win – the team's first trophy in 18 years.
The Justice Cunha commission has held RCB, DNA Entertainment Networks, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) responsible for the incident.
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
10 minutes ago
- Mint
In Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda slams Cong for UPA-era Pakistan 'appeasement' – 'they kept killing us, we served them Biryani
Union Minister JP Nadda on Wednesday tore into the Opposition for its "appeasement" of Pakistan, saying that the Congress-led UPA regime during 2004-14 did not take any action against the neighbouring country despite repeated terror attacks. Nadda said those questioning the government on its response post Pahalgam must introspect on what they did after terror attacks when they were in government. Nadda, who is also Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President, was speaking in the Rajya Sabha during the 'Special Discussion on India's Strong, Successful and Decisive Operation Sindoor in Response to the Terrorist Attack in Pahalgam' 'The Home Minister of our sensitive government was in Kashmir at 5 pm on the day of the attack while the Prime Minister cut short his Saudi Arabia visit,' Nadda said. He further said the political leadership is extremely important as it gives directions to the armed forces. The Health Minister said political leadership is very important, as it is the leadership that gives instructions to the Army. Nadda said there is a difference between a responsible, sensitive, proactive government and a government which responds according to the needs of the hour, and a lukewarm, non-reactive government. 'There is another type of government, one that is inactive, carries a lukewarm attitude, and is non-reactive and non-responsive. We need to assess this in two phases: the period from 2004 to 2014, and the period from 2014 to 2025,' Nadda said. Speaking during the same debate in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused it of lacking the political will to take on Pakistan. He also mentioned Pakistani general Asim Munir, calling him 'the mastermind' behind the Pahalgam attack 'The aircraft were lost because the political leadership had tied the hands of the armed forces by deciding not to attack military and air defence infrastructure in Pakistan,' Gandhi said. Operation Sindoor is being debated during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. The operation was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The debate began in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, while the Lok Sabha took up the discussion on Monday. "We will do injustice with this narrative if we look at the Pahalgam terror attack in isolation," the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha said. Detailing the response of the Congress-led UPA government during 2004-14 to terror attacks carried out at the time, Nadda said that "no action was taken" after Delhi, Varanasi, Mumbai bomb blasts, where hundreds were killed and injured, which shows the insensitivity of the then government. Trade, tourism and talks with Pakistan continued despite the terrorist attacks, Nadda said. "You kept appeasing and never pressured Pakistan despite terrorism," he said in an apparent reference to the Congress-led governments at the time. They (Pakistan) kept killing us while we served them Biryani. Moreover, India and Pakistan agreed on Kashmir-specific confidence-building measures, Nadda said, asserting that "they (Pakistan) kept killing us while we served them Biryani".
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
‘China Gurus, Chindia': Jaishankar slams Rahul, Jairam in Rajya Sabha – spent 41 years in foreign services
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday slammed at the Opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha, taking a dig at 'China Guru' Jairam Ramesh, and other Congress leaders who often raise issues about the relationship between India and its neighbours. Jaishankar was speaking in the Rajya Sabha, commencing the debate on Operation Sindoor. "I have spent 41 years in the Foreign Service, only been the longest-serving Ambassador, but there are 'China Gurus'. One of them is the member sitting in front of me (Jairam Ramesh), whose affection for China is so great, 'unhone ek sandhi bana li thi India aur China ki, Chindia' (they have conjoined India and China, Chindia)," Jaishankar said during his address in Parliament. Continuing his jibe, Jaishankar said that while he may lack knowledge about China, he did not learn about the country through Olympics, unlike others who took "private tuitions" at the home of the Chinese Ambassador. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh used the word 'Chindia' in his 2007 book Making Sense of Chindia: Reflections on China and India. The EAM's remarks during the discussion on Operation Sindoor were met bylaughter from the treasury benches sitting behind him, followed by loud protests from the Opposition benches. "I may lack knowledge about China because I did not learn about China through the Olympics, no one called me, I was not a special person. Some people gained their knowledge of China during their visit to the Olympics. Let's not discuss who they met or what they signed. They also took private tuitions at their homes from the Chinese Ambassador," Jaishankar continued. Jaishankar detailed the history of collaboration between the two nations. He mentioned the 1966 plan for the India-Pakistan Karokoram highway and nuclear collaboration in 1976, among other things, all of which happened during Congress-led governments. "'China Gurus' say that Pakistan and China have close ties, that is true. But how did they come close? What is the reason? It was because in the middle we had left PoK. This issue has been happening since 1962 and 1963 (since India-China war) Karokoram highway's planning started in 1966 and finished in 1986. You know who's government was Nuclear collaboration happened in 1976?" he stated. "In 1980, when India's PM was going to Pakistan and saying a deal would happen, the talks between China and Pakistan were going on. However, saying that these ties developed overnight means they were sleeping during the history class," he added. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has repeatedly criticised the Centre over the handling of its relationship with China. The Congress leader had in March also demanded a debate on the issue. More recently, on July 4, the Congress leader also told ANI that there was "China's influence over Pakistan's Air Force," while India and Pakistan had become increasingly hostile in May after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. "Today, it is proven that we were not fighting Pakistani Air Force, this was with China. China has totally captured the Pakistani Air Force. That is why Congress is repeatedly demanding a discussion on it. For five years, we have been asking; when the situation was bad and the PM also gave a clean chit to China that no one has come in and is sitting on our land," Jairam Ramesh said. EAM Jaishankar also mentioned during his speech that Indian diplomacy had succeeded in getting the UNSC Monitoring Team to accept that the Resistance Front (TRF) is a terrorist entity. He highlighted the UNSC report and said that in the last decade, Indian diplomacy with regard to terrorism has seen a huge leap.
News18
35 minutes ago
- News18
TDP-led govt tarnishing Andhra's image, alleges YSRCP leader
Amaravati, Jul 30 (PTI) YSRCP leader Talari Rangaiah on Wednesday accused the TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh of 'tarnishing the state's image" by allegedly extorting industrialists, including a leading automobile manufacturer in Rayalaseema. The former MP claimed that leaders of the ruling alliance were demanding contracts, commissions, and jobs, which he said could lead to factory closures and the relocation of industries. 'The coalition government is tarnishing Andhra Pradesh's industrial and social fabric," claimed a YSRCP press release quoting Rangaiah. 'Instead of visionary governance promised by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, what we see is extortion and mismanagement," he alleged. Rangaiah accused the government of 'plundering" the state's natural resources such as sand, quartz, and liquor, and of stifling avenues of wealth creation. He further alleged that welfare schemes were being 'manipulated to benefit party loyalists, in violation of the principle of impartiality." According to him, the number of welfare pension beneficiaries is 'steadily declining", while field assistants, animators, and contractors are being retrenched—contradicting the government's promises of job creation. Rangaiah drew a comparison with the previous YSRCP government, saying the former administration under Jagan Mohan Reddy ensured 'transparent and corruption-free delivery of welfare schemes" through direct benefit transfers. This corrupt governance threatens industries and impoverishes citizens, he alleged, calling for immediate corrective measures 'to protect Andhra Pradesh's economic and social future." There was no immediate response from the TDP. PTI STH SSK view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
