A political storm has erupted in Karnataka after a formal complaint was submitted to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing him of negligence in connection with the 4 June stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left 56 others injured.
Girish Kumar, a resident of Kottigepalya in Bengaluru, filed the complaint alleging that Siddaramaiah invited the public to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory celebrations without adequate crowd control or safety arrangements.
The letter to the Governor also criticised the Karnataka government’s decision to host a grand reception for what it described as a “private cricket franchise”. It argued that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a commercial tournament lacking patriotic or state significance. “Players are bought by franchises and play for money, not for the country or the state,” it read.
The complainant also slammed Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for receiving the RCB team at the airport, terming it “excessive and unwarranted”. He demanded accountability from those responsible for what he described as a "gross administrative failure".
The stampede unfolded as thousands of fans swarmed the stadium area to participate in RCB’s first-ever IPL title celebration. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic.
Also read: Karnataka HC poses 9 questions to govt on Bengaluru stampede
The incident has sparked a fierce political row, with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensifying its attacks on the Congress-led state government. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje alleged, “The parents who have lost their children are cursing. They (CM and DCM) are trying to wash the blood on their hands and wipe it on police officers.”
She further demanded the resignation of both the Chief Minister and his deputy, saying they were directly responsible for the tragedy.
In response to public outrage, Siddaramaiah announced on Saturday via social media that the compensation for the families of the deceased had been increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh. “I have ordered an increase in the compensation announced for the families of those who died in the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium from ₹10 lakh each to ₹25 lakh,” he posted.
However, the gesture has done little to assuage the anger of the bereaved. “We are a very poor family... It has been three days since my son died, but not a single official has visited our home. We have received no help from the government either,” said Mariyamma, mother of 21-year-old Shiva Linga, who died in the incident.
Meanwhile, the state government has instituted a one-man judicial commission led by retired High Court judge John Michael Cunha to investigate the causes of the stampede and identify those responsible for operational lapses.
Separately, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) held an emergency meeting on Saturday, during which the resignations of its secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam were formally accepted. KSCA president Raghuram Bhat confirmed their exit but ruled out the dissolution of the remaining managing committee.
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