Chinnaswamy stampede: FIR against RCB, event mgmt firm and KSCA

The Bengaluru Police on Thursday, 5 June, has registered an FIR against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the state cricket association (KSCA) and others under various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, in connection with the stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people.

Another 56 people were injured in the incident. Among the injured, 46 have gone back home after treatment, while 10 are in hospital and their condition is not serious, according to doctors.

Following a complaint by a police inspector, a case was also registered against the event management firm DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd at Cubbon Park police station.

Charges in the FIR included voluntarily causing hurt (section 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means (section 118), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from his duty (section 121) and unlawful assembly (section 190).

Also, Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner G. Jagadeesha, who is heading the magisterial probe into the stampede directed by chief minister Siddaramaiah, said notices will be issued to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), RCB and police commissioner B. Dayananda to join the inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court, which has taken up the matter suo motu, directed the state government to file a status report into the tragic incident by 10 June.

"Why didn't they make proper arrangements? Go and see Mysore Palace Road — for political events, they arrange everything. For this celebration, they should have had proper planning. Intelligence should have been there," said Shivakumar, the grieving father of 15-year-old Divyanshi.

Relatives gathered at the home of the grieving family in Bengaluru's Yelahanka as the teen's body was taken for the last rites, a heartbreaking sight.

The mortal remains of some of the victims, hailing from outside Bengaluru, were sent to their respective hometowns, including Siddapur in Uttara Kannada and Udumalaipettai in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar broke down while speaking to the media, after an evening and day of speaking with grieving families and the injured at the hospital. "We are deeply hurt. The victims are our own family. The image of Karnataka, the image of Bengaluru... Yes, we take (responsibility). We are not blaming others, though it has happened very unexpectedly," he said.

Reacting to allegations by the opposition that the police had not permitted the celebrations and the government had overriden their objections, Shivakumar said he refused to engage in dirty politics over such a tragedy.

"I don't want to react to any of these BJP guys. I am only answerable to the people of Karnataka and the people of the country," he said baldly.

He accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of engaging in politics over dead bodies while the state government has taken full responsibility for the incident.

The state government also informed the high court that the investigation into the stampede has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). A special investigation team (SIT) within the CID will be formed to ensure a thorough and independent probe, it said.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has announced it will formulate a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for mega events, meetings and celebrations, aimed at preventing any such untoward incidents in future, state home minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said that the government will take strict measures to identify the lapses that led to the stampede near the stadium.

"Aimed at preventing such incidents, the government and the home department will formulate a new standard operating procedure (SOP). We will give instructions that from now on, any mega events, meetings and celebrations should be held within the framework of the directions issued by the police department," Parameshwara said.

A new SOP will be formulated to ensure that such incidents never happen in the future, he said.

"Such deaths shouldn't happen. Innocents should not die. Looking at the bodies, it pains anyone... Many of them were youngsters of 20–25 years of age. They came happily to celebrate. They wouldn't have expected to lose their lives. We will take strict measures to identify the lapses," he added.

Stating that such an incident has never happened in the state's cricketing history, Parameshwara noted that chief minister Siddaramaiah had already held a meeting on 4 June, the night of the incident, and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident under the leadership of the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner.

"If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken against whoever is responsible," he said.

Responding to a question about the government not taking adequate measures and the lapses on its part, the home minister said, "As you are aware, there were celebrations (for RCB victory) almost the entire Tuesday night (3 June) on the streets of Bengaluru. Again in the morning (Wednesday, 4 June), the atmosphere for this celebration (with the team landing in the city) was created... the entire community in a way was in a celebration frenzy."

"No one expected about 3 lakh people to come against the stadium's capacity of 30,000. According to information from Bangalore Metro, around 8.7 lakh people travelled till 11 p.m. (on Wednesday). You imagine how much crowd had come," he said.

Parameshwara visited the incident site near the stadium and is also holding discussions with the RCB and Karnataka State Cricket Association representatives.

To questions on who will take responsibility for the deaths, the minister said responsibilities can be fixed only once the lapses are identified.

Meanwhile, in a conversation with media earlier in the day after an evening and day visiting the injured and the bereaved at the hospital, a tearful deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar — recalling the pain of the mother of one of the deceased, requesting for her son's body without post mortem (which is the due process) — apologised on behalf of the government, saying, "We are very sorry."

Chief minister Siddaramiah had already in a press conference on Wednesday evening, while announcing a magisterial investigation into the matter, said, "I don't want to defend this incident. Our government will not do politics on this. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry and given 15 days' time."

"People even broke the gates of the stadium. There was a stampede. No one expected such a huge crowd," the chief minister said.

Later, speaking to reporters after visiting the stadium, the home minister noted that the information suggested none of the deaths took place on the spot — some passed away while being shifted to the hospital, some died at the hospital, he said.

When people started gathering large numbers, police gathered forces from various divisions, including DCPs and ACPs, he added.

Parameshwara said, "There is no example of so many people gathering for a cricketing event in Bengaluru. Probably history would have been created if everything was right. This would have been a record on its own, but unfortunately this stampede incident happened."

Meanwhile, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru official X handle tweeted Thursday evening to express the RCB family's "anguish" and "as a mark of respect and a gesture of solidarity" has offered Rs 10 lakh of financial support to each of the 11 families of the deceased.

An RCB Cares fund for the injured was also announced in the message.

The state government, however, had already announced free treatment for the injured. The RCB offer of support to the bereaved families matches the Karnataka government’s compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each bereaved family that announced yesterday.

"Our fans will always remain at the heart of everything that we do. We remain united in grief," the franchise's message said.

With PTI inputs