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Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bengaluru stampede: ‘Action against police looks like scapegoating,' Indian Police Foundation tells Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
The Indian Police Foundation (IPF) – a group representing retired police personnel – has asked the Karnataka government to reinstate the police officers who have been suspended in the wake of the Bengaluru stampede. Eleven people died after a stampede occurred outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the Karnataka capital during the victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL). In a letter addressed to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday, the IPF stated, 'The suspension of five police officers, including the Commissioner of Police, prior to the completion of a detailed investigation, has raised serious concerns within the professional policing community across the country. Actions taken without establishing individual responsibility would be seen as scapegoating rather than principled accountability and may have a demoralising effect on the entire police force, while undermining institutional integrity.' 'In the spirit of constructive engagement, the Indian Police Foundation offers to support the Government by conducting a Post-Incident Review and Analysis. This would be a non-adversarial, independent exercise, not intended for fault-finding, but focused on identifying systemic gaps, good practices, and actionable lessons to guide police operations and training. The IPF has in its membership a distinguished team of former DGPs, former civil servants, senior police leaders, forensic scientists, public safety experts, and academics who can undertake this exercise with neutrality, sensitivity, and professionalism,' the letter added. A day after the Bengaluru stampede, the state government had suspended Bengaluru Commissioner of Police B Dayananda, Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shekhar H Tekkannavar, ACP (Cubbon Park sub-division) C Balakrishna, and police inspector Girish A K on Thursday. Besides the Opposition, social media users have also flooded the government with requests to reinstate Dayananda.
India Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Retired IPS officers urge Siddaramaiah to revoke suspensions over stampede
The Indian Police Foundation, along with several retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to revoke the suspension orders issued against three IPS officers, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B their letter, the retired officers stated that a social media post made by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) management triggered a massive crowd turnout near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium leading to a deadly stampede which claimed eleven lives. They emphasised that although the police had made necessary security arrangements, the confusion surrounding ticketing procedures and the scheduling of dual events at both Vidhana Soudha and the stadium created an extremely difficult situation for crowd officers noted that the public response had far exceeded initial expectations and that the police, despite facing logistical constraints, had done their best under the circumstances. The appeal describes the suspension of the three officers as unjust and requests that the decision be reviewed and revoked at the earliest. On June 5, top sources had revealed to India Today that the Karnataka government went ahead with the RCB felicitation ceremony the day after the team's Indian Premier League (IPL) victory, despite the Bengaluru Police having advised that it be held on Sunday, June 8, instead. The police had reportedly suggested that Sunday, being a non-working day, would cause less traffic disruption and allow sufficient time for preparing security arrangements and setting up also said that police personnel had worked late into the nights of June 3 and reportedly until 4 am on June 4, to manage the crowds that had taken to the streets following RCB's IPL win. Given the exhaustive shifts, senior officers indicated that deploying forces again the following morning for another high-pressure event would have been physically draining for the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, after chairing a Cabinet meeting on June 5, announced the immediate suspension of several police officials, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, the stadium in-charge, the ACP, the central DCP, the Cubbon Park police station in-charge, and the police poured in from former officers, political parties, citizens, and online communities rallying behind suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda against the order. IN THIS STORY#Bengaluru#Karnataka
NDTV
11 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Cops Being Made 'Fall Guys'": Ex-Police Officers To Siddaramaiah On RCB Stampede
Retired police officers urged Karnataka's Chief Minister to revoke the suspension of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand and others over a deadly stampede at an IPL victory rally, pointing out an inquiry to establish fault has not been completed. Bengaluru: Retired senior police officers have urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to revoke the suspension of Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand, his deputy, and three others over the stampede last week at a rally to celebrate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru 's IPL win. They have pointed to Mr Dayanand's "unblemished record of service and integrity" and said the five suspended police officers had been "victimised" and made "fall guys" while those "whose haste and over-enthusiasm, and reluctance to take a stand, contributed to the tragedy... managed to get away". Two open letters have been addressed to the Congress leader, one of which also refers to "tacit support of the (state) government" in allowing the rally to be held despite police warnings. The first was from 30 high-ranking ex-cops, including ex-CBI chief DR Karthikeyan and Satish Sahney and Dr KK Paul, the former Police Commissioners of Mumbai and Delhi respectively. The second was from the Indian Police Foundation, a multi-disciplinary think tank currently led by RS Mooshahary, the former Meghalaya Governor and ex-Director-General of Assam Police. What 30 Ex-Cops Said In their letter the 30 ex-cops pointed out Bengaluru Police had "expressed reservations" about the celebratory rally. The local police station, i.e., the Cubbon Park Police Station and senior police officers had pointed to the "lack of time to prepare for the humongous crowds..." The city police, the 30 ex-cops wrote to the Chief Minister, "conveyed in writing... the danger of acceding to the request to organise a function hours after the final..." and advised the government and the cricket bodies to defer the programme by four days, i.e., June 8. "... appears no written directions were given to the police (to) overrule their objections. The organisers, meanwhile, kept inviting fans... professional advice of police officers was not heeded, and the organisers went ahead, presumably with tacit support of the government." "The consequences of disregarding professional police advice are there to see..." the 30 ex-cops wrote, pointing out also that a judicial panel's report is to be filed within a month and that it would be "fair and proper to take action only after the findings are known..." What Police Foundation Think Tank Said The second letter, from the IPF, was in a similar tone, but also warned the state government that suspension of the senior cops, before the judicial inquiry is complete, risks demoralising other police personnel and "undermining institutional integrity". "Large public events... especially when held at such short notice... require coordinated efforts by multiple civic, administrative, and political agencies. To isolate the police for punitive action, while other stakeholders escape scrutiny, distorts the reality of shared responsibility..." The IPF called for the reinstatement of Mr Dayanand and other suspended cops, who have also been backed by the former's predecessor, Bhaskar Rao, who told NDTV the sacking was "unacceptable". "Dayanand and his team safeguarded the city... he has been bulldozed." READ | What Kiran Bedi, Ex-Top Cop Bhaskar Rao Said On Suspension, Stampede Mr Rao also blamed the Chief Minister and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, for the situation, saying their eagerness to be associated with the winning RCB team led to precautions being ignored. Eleven people were killed and 47 injured in the stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, in connection with which four people, including a senior RCB employee, have been arrested. VIDEO | The state government has been accused of mismanagement in this matter, which has also spawned a political slugfest between the Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. 'No Time To...': NDTV Reviews Cops' Letter On Sunday NDTV accessed a letter from Deputy Commissioner of Police (Vidhan Soudha) MN Karibasavana Gowda to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. This was written on June 4, a day after the IPL 2025 final and the Bengaluru team's historic win. Mr Gowda had warned against holding any victory event at the Vidhan Soudha, where victorious team members were to meet the Chief Minister. He said "lakhs of cricket fans" would be drawn to the event and that it would "create security challenges due to a shortage of officers/staff..." The victory rally itself was therefore to be held at the stadium, which cannot hold more than 35,000 people. By 3.30 pm on the fateful day there were an estimated two lakh people around the stadium. Another 50,000 were reportedly trying to force their way inside. The crowd rush triggered the stampede, authorities have said. The families of those killed have been awarded financial compensation, by the state and the RCB team, while those who were injured have been told medical expenses will be covered.
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Suspending police officers for Karnataka stampede looks like scapegoating: Think tank
New Delhi, The suspension of five police officers before the completion of a detailed investigation into the RCB victory celebrations-linked stampede in Karnataka would be seen as "scapegoating" and may have a "demoralising" effect on the entire force, an independent think tank on policing has told the state chief minister. The Delhi-based Indian Police Foundation has also said "isolating" the police force for "punitive" action, while other stakeholders escape scrutiny, distorts the reality of shared responsibility and "misses" the opportunity to draw "comprehensive" lessons for the future. The June 4 stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru led to the death of 11 people, while 56 were injured, as a large number of people thronged to participate in the Royal Challenger Bengaluru team's IPL victory celebrations. The Karnataka government has suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior police officials on the charge of dereliction of duty. The state government has also appointed a one-man inquiry commission under retired Karnataka High Court judge John Michael Cunha to probe the incident. The IPF, a private think tank on policing subjects with a number of retired police chiefs and civil servants on its panel, wrote a two-page letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday. The letter, accessed by PTI, said the suspension of the five police officials has raised "serious concerns" within the professional policing community across the country. "Actions taken without establishing individual responsibility would be seen as scapegoating rather than principled accountability and may have a demoralising effect on the entire police force, while undermining institutional integrity," the IPF said. Large public events of this nature, it said, especially when held at such a short notice and without adequate time for preparatory work, require "coordinated" efforts among multiple civic, administrative and political agencies. The think tank urged the Karnataka government to "reinstate" the suspended officers and said disciplinary action, if warranted, should follow from the findings and not precede those. The IPF also offered the services of its multi-disciplinary expert members for conducting a post-incident review and analysis of the stampede. "This would be a non-adversarial, independent exercise, not intended for fault-finding, but focused on identifying systemic gaps, good practices and actionable lessons to guide police operations and training," it said. The foundation offered condolences to the bereaved families and said it fully supports a fair, impartial and transparent inquiry into the tragedy. Former Union home secretary G K Pillai, former Meghalaya governor and retired IPS officer R S Mooshahary, former HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, former Uttar Pradesh DGP O P Singh and former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla are among the IPF members.
