The Karnataka government on Thursday said it would initiate legal proceedings against the organisers of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) celebration at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and departmental action against five senior police officers, following the 4 June stampede that killed 11 and left more than 70 injured.
The announcement comes after the state cabinet accepted the findings of the Justice (Retd.) John Michael Cunha Commission report, which held Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), DNA Entertainment Network (DNAEN), and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) liable for the tragedy.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chaired the cabinet meeting that resolved to implement the recommendations of the commission in full.
The inquiry report, submitted on 11 July, criticised the organisers for gross violations of safety norms and licensing procedures under the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions (Bengaluru City) Order, 2009. It stated the organisers failed to obtain prior permission from the licensing authority and did not provide key information such as estimated crowd strength, traffic control plans, or emergency contacts.
The commission noted the event had been widely publicised on social media without adequate planning. Conflicting instructions regarding entry procedures and a lack of crowd regulation at the gates were identified as the “root cause” of the stampede.
Legal action is being pursued against KSCA President Raghuram Bhat, former Secretary A. Shankar, former Treasurer E. S. Jairam, RCSPL Vice-President Rajesh Menon, DNAEN Managing Director Dr T. Venkat Vardhan, and Vice-President Sunil Mathur.
Departmental inquiries have also been initiated against five senior police officers who allegedly allowed the unauthorised event to proceed despite glaring lapses. Those under scrutiny include former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand, Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash, DCP (Central Division) Shekar Tekkannavar, ACP (Cubbon Park Sub-Division) C. Balakrishna, and Cubbon Park Inspector A. K. Girish.
Also read: RCB bypassed police, triggered chaos: Govt on Bengaluru stampede
All five officers were suspended on 7 June and now face further disciplinary action.
The commission accused these officers of colluding with event organisers and deploying security personnel before receiving a formal plan. It found that only 79 of the 515 assigned police personnel were present outside the venue gates at the time of the incident, many of whom were reportedly not visible during the stampede.
The report further criticised the absence of basic emergency protocols. Ambulances were parked nearly four kilometres from the stadium, delaying the transport of the injured. No casualty reception point or temporary medical unit had been established on site.
“Despite visible signs of overcrowding, exit gates were not opened in time. It was a serious act of negligence by the security authorities. The absence of a basic emergency setup meant that critical time was lost in providing life-saving care to the victims,” the report stated.
The commission did not examine the felicitation event held for RCB players at the steps of Vidhana Soudha, citing its limited terms of reference restricted to the stadium incident.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil confirmed the cabinet’s acceptance of the findings. “The government will take stringent action against those found responsible, be it organisers or officials, without fear or favour,” he said.
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