The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), event organisers DNA Entertainment, and Bengaluru Police are directly responsible for the June 4 stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people and injured over 50, according to a judicial commission report submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.
According to sources, the one-man inquiry commission led by retired Justice John Michael D’Cunha found that all stakeholders went ahead with the event despite knowing it was impossible to manage the crowd safely. The report cites “gross negligence and dereliction of duty” by all parties involved.
Thousands of RCB fans had gathered outside the stadium hoping to catch a glimpse of the Indian Premier League-winning team, even as the Congress government hosted a felicitation event at Vidhana Soudha, less than a kilometre away. The uncontrolled crowd swell led to a deadly stampede around 3:25 pm.
The D’Cunha Commission was given a month to investigate lapses in planning, coordination, and crowd management. Over the course of the inquiry, the commission conducted site inspections, held multiple hearings, and recorded statements from eyewitnesses, police officers, KSCA officials, and government representatives.
The panel found that security arrangements were severely lacking. Only 79 police personnel were stationed inside the stadium, with no deployment outside. There were also no ambulances on site.
Moreover, the inquiry revealed that key officials failed to respond promptly. The Joint Commissioner of Police arrived at the scene only at 4 pm, while Police Commissioner was not informed of the incident until 5:30 pm—more than two hours after the stampede.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah received the two-volume report on Friday and said it would be placed before the state cabinet on July 17. The findings of the probe are yet to be made public.
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