MLC K Govindaraj has been relieved from the post of political secretary to the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with immediate effect, the government said on Friday. Although no official reason was given for Govindaraj's removal, the decision is said to be linked to the June 4 stampede incident outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium here that killed 11 people.
The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening in front of the stadium, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people have died and 56 were injured in the incident.
"The appointment of K Govindaraj as Political Secretary to the Chief Minister is hereby revoked with immediate effect. Accordingly, K Govindaraj is hereby relieved from the post of Political Secretary to the Chief Minister with immediate effect," an official notification said.
Siddaramaiah on Thursday suspended Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior police officials in connection with the stampede incident.
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Earlier, in the day, four officials of RCB and event management firm DNA entertainment private limited were arrested in connection with the stampede outside Chinnaswamy stadium here that claimed lives of 11 people and injured another 56, police sources said on Friday. They were taken into custody in a joint operation by the crime branch and Bengaluru Police.
Speaking to the media, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh confirmed that few arrests have been made in the connection with the stampede case. "Few arrests have been made. Our teams are taking up the case very seriously, and ultimately the case has to go to CID. So before going to CID, whatever legal formalities have to be done by our team, they are doing it,” he said.
Nikhil Sosale, Head of Marketing and Revenue of RCB, Sunil Mathew and Kiran Kumar from DNA entertainment private limited are among those who have been arrested, sources said. They were brought to Cubbon Park police station for questioning, sources said, adding that after medical examination, further process will be followed. Some of them were reportedly taken into custody from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on the outskirts of the city. Police action followed the FIR registered on Thursday against RCB, the event management firm DNA, and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
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