Inquiry report on stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium blames RCB for…, accuses KSCA of…

Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede: The inquiry report into the recent stampede incident at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been submitted to the state cabinet by the Chief Secretary, including both the magisterial and judicial findings. Justice (Retd.) John Michael D’Cunha, who led the one-man commission of inquiry, has pointed fingers at multiple agencies for gross negligence and dereliction of duty.

The tragedy led to the loss of 11 lives, with over 50 injured after a crowd crush occurred in Bengaluru during the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden Indian Premier League title win.

According to key highlights from the judicial inquiry:

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), DNA Entertainment Networks (event organizer), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and the Bengaluru City Police have been held directly responsible for the stampede.

  • Despite being aware that conducting the event under prevailing circumstances was unfeasible, all parties proceeded, resulting in a tragic failure of planning and crowd control.
  • The report cites a “total collapse of duty and peak level of negligence” by the involved organizations.
  • On the day of the incident, only 79 police personnel were deployed inside the stadium, with no personnel stationed outside to manage the growing crowd.
  • Crucially, there was no ambulance on site, exacerbating the aftermath of the stampede.
  • Although the stampede occurred at 3:25 PM, the Police Commissioner was not informed until 5:30 PM—a shocking delay in communication.
  • Joint Commissioner of Police arrived at the venue only by 4:00 PM, well after the situation had escalated.
  • The KSCA and RCB have also been criticized for their complacency and failure to anticipate risks, despite their experience in hosting major events.

The cabinet is now expected to recommend further investigation against those found responsible. Departmental inquiries against certain officers may also be approved based on the recommendations of both reports.

This incident has raised serious questions about crowd management at large-scale events and may lead to tighter safety protocols in the future.

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