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News18
14 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Bengaluru Stampede: Crowd Control Lapses, Political Blame Game, And Many Questions
Last Updated: The Siddaramaiah-led government has suspended the Bengaluru police commissioner and three senior cops while calling for the arrest of RCB, DNA, and KSCA representatives The tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which resulted in 11 deaths, has raised questions on security protocols, crowd management, and preparedness during big events. It has also triggered a fierce political blame game between the ruling Congress and BJP, even as grieving families demand accountability. The incident took place during victory celebrations for the the IPL-winning team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which brought the trophy home after an 18-year wait. In the latest development, initiating a series of disciplinary actions, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has suspended the Bengaluru police commissioner and three other senior police officials while calling for the arrest of representatives of RCB, DNA event management and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee. These entities have already been booked on charges of criminal negligence at Cubbon Park police station. 'RCB DIDN'T CONSULT US' According to the police, RCB's promotional campaign, including social media posts, promised free access to the victory celebrations that added to the crowd surge. 'They didn't consult us. The police were left with no choice," a senior police officer said. Stretched thin from the previous night's match between RCB and Punjab Kings, the police were overburdened. 'Within hours, we were forced to provide security for two major events without formal approval from the state police," an official said. Key factors behind the stampede incident included lack of coordination, poor crowd estimation, and protocol violations. The police are reviewing social media posts by RCB that may have led to an overwhelming response. With the force already exhausted from match-day duties, RCB's tweet about the victory procession worsened the pressure. 'The decision to proceed with the event came within hours of the win, giving the police hardly any time to prepare," a senior officer said. WHO WILL GIVE US ANSWERS, ASK VICTIMS' KIN Distraught families of the victims blamed the administration and police for what they saw as a total failure in planning and emergency response. 'There was not a single ambulance in sight. No medical help. Who will bring my child back?" said the inconsolable mother of 20-year-old Prajwal, who attended the event after telling his parents that he was visiting Bengaluru for a job interview. Among the deceased was 13-year-old Divyanshi from Andhra Pradesh, a devoted Virat Kohli fan and the youngest victim. She died from suffocation and a head injury near one of the gates. As part of the magisterial inquiry, Bengaluru deputy commissioner Jagadeesh said notices will be issued to RCB, Bengaluru police commissioner, KSCA, BBMP, BMRCL, and DPAR. Siddaramaiah maintained that the responsibility lay with RCB and KSCA. 'We didn't organise the celebrations, they did. We only participated because it's a Bengaluru team," he said. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar accused the BJP of politicising the tragedy. 'They're doing politics on the deathbed. They demanded a victory procession. If that had happened, imagine the chaos," he said. COURT STEPS IN The Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognizance of the tragedy, converting it into a public interest litigation to investigate the causes and failures leading to the stampede. The state government acknowledged the chaos outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A division bench led by acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice CM Joshi acted based on extensive media reports and public appeals. 'We have taken note of reports detailing the deaths and injuries during the RCB victory celebrations," the bench said. The court issued a notice to the state government, seeking details on emergency preparedness, including ambulance deployment at the Vidhana Soudha and the stadium. The next hearing is scheduled for June 10. Senior advocate Arun Shyam said the presence of two major gatherings on the same day compounded crowd control challenges. Representing the government, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty said although the stadium has a capacity of around 30,000, it was overwhelmed as nearly 2.5 lakh people arrived for the celebrations. 'Once free entry was announced, everyone assumed they'd be just one more person in the crowd, creating the stampede," Shetty said. 'The police commissioner and 1,318 police personnel out of a total of 1,483 deployed were present on the ground. We are as concerned as the public. The chief minister's immediate response was to announce compensation and medical care. We've been working through the night." CONGRESS VS BJP The BJP has accused the ruling Congress of mismanagement and a breakdown of police control in handling the large crowd. They questioned the decision to host the celebration under such circumstances. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje called for Shivakumar's resignation and demanded an independent inquiry led by a sitting high court judge. She criticised the Congress-led government for rushing into the event without adequate planning. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya blamed the state government, accusing Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of turning the event into a personal showcase. He insisted the government take full responsibility and provide financial compensation to the victims' kin. 'This was a completely preventable tragedy caused by the government's own actions," Surya said, alleging that the chief minister's public invitation to fans without proper security measures triggered the chaos. Despite knowing the fan frenzy, he posted an open call for celebrations without making necessary arrangements to ensure safety, he said. State BJP president BY Vijayendra called for a judicial investigation, describing the tragedy as 'avoidable". He said the stampede took place before the players had left the Taj West End Hotel and questioned the government's decision to proceed with the IPL victory celebrations at the Vidhana Soudha despite reports of deaths and injuries. In response, the Congress blamed the RCB franchise and the KSCA for organising the event without proper coordination with authorities. BLAME SHIFTING Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the ceremony was initiated by RCB and KSCA, and the government only facilitated it. Parameshwara stressed that the event was not government-initiated and that it took part as RCB is the home team. He said had RCB not announced the celebrations at Chinnaswamy Stadium, the crowd would not have reached unmanageable levels. 'We expected around 1 lakh people near the Vidhana Soudha and another 40,000 inside the stadium. But nearly 8 lakh people came, many of them RCB fans," he said. Despite the unfolding stampede, Shivakumar continued with the felicitation ceremony inside the stadium. The BJP slammed him for insensitivity, accusing the government of prioritising optics over lives. top videos View all Pictures surfaced of Shivakumar felicitating players while the tragedy unfolded just outside the stadium. A police source said international players were in a hurry to leave as many wanted to return home, adding pressure to speed up the event. The state government announced that RCB and KSCA will be included in the inquiry. RCB offered a compensation of Rs 10 lakh per family for those who lost their loved ones and launched a fund called 'RCB Cares' for the injured. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18's digital platform. She has previously worked with More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : bengaluru stampede Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: June 05, 2025, 22:55 IST News india Bengaluru Stampede: Crowd Control Lapses, Political Blame Game, And Many Questions
Mint
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Dry fruit brand Bolas in talks with Westbridge, others for ₹900 crore investment boost
MUMBAI : Dry fruit brand Bolas is in early discussions with private equity investors including Westbridge Capital to raise ₹800–900 crore in its first institutional funding round, two people familiar with the development told Mint. 'The investors are looking to secure a significant minority stake in the company and the round will be a mix of primary and secondary transactions," one of the people cited said. The promoters are expected to dilute a portion of their holdings, but valuation discussions are still underway. According to the second person, the capital raised will primarily go towards expanding Bolas' retail footprint in Karnataka from 80 stores currently to 150–200 outlets. 'At this stage, we would prefer not to comment on specific investor conversations or the details of any ongoing discussions," Bolas' co-founder Rahul Kamath told Mint in an emailed statement. He added that the company has witnessed unprecedented growth over the past few years, by significant expansion of its presence across three key pillars— healthy snacking category, direct-to-consumer retail division, and overall share in the Indian dry fruits market. 'As we look ahead, we are exploring strategic opportunities for our next phase of growth and have set ambitious targets for FY30 to establish Bolas as India's leading dry fruits-based healthy snacking brand," Kamath said. Westbridge Capital did not immediately respond to Mint's queries. Founded in the early 1940s, Bolas is currently run by a third-generation sibling duo Rahul Kamath and Rajesh Kamath. Based in coastal Karnataka, the firm is also present in Goa and Maharashtra and is engaged in commodity trading, processing and branding. It is among India's leading exporters of cashewnuts and coffee, and expanded into direct-to-consumer retail by acquiring Mysore Mercantile Ltd. Its edible oil brands include Palm Raja, Leader Gold, Prajwal, and Sun Taaza. The company also imports and processes almonds, pistachios, figs, dates, and other dried fruits. In 2022, Bolas also ventured into newer categories and launched a range of products such as seeds, berries, gourmet snacking options, honey and hazelnut to cater to the growing consumer demand driven by rising health awareness, increased disposable incomes, and a preference for convenient, nutritious snacks. It also forayed into manufacturing sweets such as Kaju Katli, Mysore Pak, and Ladoos. Also read: VC fundraising wave gains momentum as dealmaking rebounds, but caution prevails Sector trends Broadly, the dry fruits space has been bustling with action as consumers increasingly seek healthy snacking options to satiate their dietary needs for post-workout nourishment and other small meal replacements. Brands like Farmley, Happilo, True Elements, Yogabar, and The Whole Truth Foods have been the biggest beneficiaries of this shift by offering consistent quality through organised sales channels with better hygiene standards. While Farmley raised a $40 million round led by L Catterton earlier this month, The Whole Truth raised $15 million led by Sofina Ventures, with participation from existing investors Peak XV (formerly Sequoia India), Z47, and in February. Broadly, India is projected to grow from $9.3 billion in 2024 to $12.7 billion by 2029, with a CAGR of 6.55%. Currently ranked the world's largest importer, India imported dry fruits worth $2.85 billion in 2023, according to a report by Indus Food. The report added that there are significant opportunities, particularly in the cashew segment. Also read: For the health nut who can't give up snacking—oats bujia and quinoa puffs Bolas' performance In FY24, Bolas reported operating income of ₹1,696.8 crore, up from ₹1,574 crore in FY23. However, profits declined to ₹27 crore from ₹47 crore the previous year, as per an ICRA report. The dip in margins was attributed to a higher share of low-margin palm oil sales and increased promotional spending. Bolas closed FY25 with ₹2,000 crore in revenues, driven by stable demand across segments and better realisations in the cashew business. ICRA noted that while Bolas benefits from experienced promoters, a diverse product mix, and robust supply chains, it remains exposed to risks such as commodity price swings, regulatory issues, and forex volatility.
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Indian Express
Ex-Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna had 2,000 explicit photos, 40-50 videos of women on his phone, former driver tells court
A former car driver of ex-Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna, an accused in four rape and sexual harassment cases, has testified in court that he found over 2,000 explicit pictures and 40-50 videos of women on the then Janata Dal (Secular) MP's phone. The driver, Karthik N, 34, was the whistle blower who facilitated the initiation of multiple cases of rape and sexual harassment against Prajwal last year. Karthik, who was initially accused of leaking the videos of Prajwal's alleged sexual assaults on women, told a special court on Monday that he came across the pictures and videos of the alleged assaults when he secretly looked at Prajwal's mobile phone in Bengaluru in 2019 when the then MP left his phone in his car while visiting his girlfriend.t A close confidante of the then Hassan MP till 2022, Karthik told the court that he browsed the phone out of curiosity since Prajwal often viewed his phone in a secretive manner. 'When I opened the mobile phone, I found videos which consisted of having sexual intercourse by the accused. The videographs and photos pertained to the JDS party workers, maid servants, etc. The mobile phone consisted of more than 2,000 photographs of women and about 40-50 videos. The videos consisted of nearly 30-40 women,' he told the court. The driver said that he downloaded the pictures and videos to his phone and later showed them to Prajwal's mother, Bhavani Revanna, the wife of JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, in an alleged effort to inform them about Prajwal's activities. Karthik said that he lost the mobile phone into which he had transferred the videos and pictures–for which he filed a police complaint–but there was a backup of the material since it was transferred to an old phone given to him by Prajwal. In 2022, Karthik said he had a falling out with Prajwal and his family, resulting in cases and counter-cases being filed against each other. In 2023, Prajwal obtained a court order against the release of his private videos and pictures by Karthik to the media. According to Karthik, a pen drive of the videos and pictures was given to his lawyer, G Devaraje Gowda, a BJP leader who had contested Assembly elections against H D Revanna in the Hassan region. Karthik stated in the court that the videos and pictures of Prajwal, which emerged through pen drives distributed in the Hassan constituency ahead of the April 26, 2024, Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, were the same ones he had handed to Gowda in a pen drive. Karthik appeared in court as prosecution witness number 10 in the trial of the first of four cases of rape and sexual harassment registered by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police after the explicit videos and pictures of the alleged sexual assaults by Prajwal emerged in the public domain in April 2024. The trial in the first case began on May 2 with a former domestic worker at the farmhouse of the Revanna family telling the court of Prajwal's alleged assaults on her. The statement of the victim was recorded during in-camera proceedings in the special court. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a woman on May 8, 2024. The woman was rescued on May 5 from a farmhouse near Mysuru, where she was allegedly kept in confinement after being identified in videos of sexual assaults recorded by Prajwal on his mobile phone. The trial in a second case where Prajwal is accused of repeatedly assaulting a former JD(S) zilla panchayat worker with threats and coercion is scheduled to begin on May 28. The former MP is also named as an accused in a case of sexual assault on a cook who worked for the Revanna family and the alleged sexual harassment of the cook's daughter. A chargesheet running into 1,632 pages and backed by 113 witnesses was filed in the first case in December 2024 by the SIT constituted to investigate the cases against Prajwal.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Time of India
4 arrested for setting fire to doctor's house after contract from political party functionary in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The police arrested four individuals in connection with an arson attack on a doctor's house in Bapuji Layout, Vijayanagar, on May 9. The police investigation revealed the four got supari from a political party functionary, who is close to an MLA in the city. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The arrested individuals are identified as Prajwal, Sachin, Rakesh, and Jeevan, all aged between 25 and 30 years, and residents of Bommanahalli and surrounding areas. According to the complaint by Dr Gangadhar SB, 67, a gang of four set fire to his house and SUV between 12.20am and 12.25am on May 9. The four arrived on two scooters at his house, poured petrol on the gate, SUV, and portico and set them on fire. The security guard Tyagaraju, 44, sustained burn injuries on his hands and forehead. The SUV MG Hector was burnt in the rear. The front gate, ceiling, and interior of the house were also damaged in the incident. Dr Gangadhar estimated the loss at Rs 45 lakh. He told police that his son Dr Tushar's Acurela Pharms Ltd office in MRBH Colony, Vijayanagar, was also broken into on July 30, 2024. Another incident occurred on Oct 28, where two miscreants stole CCTV cameras from the office in the early hours. Both complaints were registered at Govindarajanagar police station. The Chandra Layout police registered a case of attempted murder and other appropriate sections for arson. The police found that the arrested four were accused of killing a 19-year-old Suhas P, a resident of BTM Layout, on May 9, 2022. A gang of seven, including the four, was arrested by Bommanahalli police. They were then released on bail in Nov last year. The accused confessed they received a supari from a political party functionary to set fire to the doctor's house. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They got Rs 30,000 advance for the task. They purchased four litres of petrol from a fuel station at Electronics City and used it to set the fire. A senior officer stated, "We are not sure why the political party functionary gave the supari. Once we catch him, we will know more details."
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Book released on Bengaluru's affair with BMTC rides
BENGALURU: Bengalurina Bussina Kathegalu (Bengaluru's Bus Stories), which captures the memories associated with the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses, was released on Monday. A collaborative effort of the EQUIMOB (Inclusive Cities Through Equitable Access to Urban Mobility Infrastructures for India and Bangladesh) project, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) and Samvada, the book brings alive memories of double-decker buses, love for bus radio when there were no mobile phones, bus bonds and others. 'When we discuss about Bengaluru, the first thing that comes is the Information Technology, the city's infamous traffic, Silk Board Signal. But we hardly get to see anything related to BMTC buses, Bengaluru's lifeline,' said Prajwal, a PhD Scholar from ISEC and Utrecht University, who coordinated for the project from EQUIMOB. 'Like Kolkata or other cities, Bengaluru didn't have trains for local commute. All we had was the BMTC (then Bangalore Transport Service). BMTC buses, which played a pivotal role in Bengaluru's making, have largely remained neglected in its development story. Except for some scenes in a Kamal Hassan movie and in other Kannada movies, BMTC buses are hardly seen,' Prajwal said. Though every one of us has travelled in BMTC and has a lot of memories associated with it, it is not being recorded, he said, adding that the book has stories associated with the bus, he added. The organisers said the e-book will be uploaded on Equimob website soon, and hard copies will be distributed among the BBPV community organisations and various government departments.
