Amid ongoing political heat over the deadly stampede outside Bengaluru stadium that left 11 people dead, the Karnataka government has suspended police commissioner. This is the first time in state’s history that such action has been taken against the city’s top cop.
The Congress-led state government has come under sharp attack over Wednesday’s stampede in Bengaluru at the IPL victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The stampede that broke out outside the Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium claimed 11 lives, mostly youth, and left 33 others injured, sparking national outrage.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday evening said that that his government has suspended top police officers involved. The police commissioner and his deputy have been suspended, he said while talking to reporters.
Who is Bengaluru’s new top cop
The government has appointed Seemanth Kumar Singh as the city’s new police chief in place of B Dayananda. Singh is a 1996-batch IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre. He was serving as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force before his appointment.
“Seemanth Kumar Singh, IPS (KN: 1996), Additional Director General of Police, Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force, Bengaluru, is transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders as Additional Director General of Police & Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, Bengaluru,” the notification stated.
Stampede tragedy
The celebrations following the first-ever victory of the RCB in the IPL match turned tragic on Wednesday when a stampede broke out outside the Bengaluru stadium. Thousands of cricket enthusiast had turned up outside the stadium to participate in the team’s felicitation. As the celebrations were about to begin, the fans jostled to enter the stadium and jamming its gates. Barricades were toppled and many got crushed in the rush. The state government had found itself embroiled in a controversy over the alleged mismanagement.
What action taken so far?
So far, a case has been registered against the RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association, and the event management firm DNA. The matter has also reached the court with the Karnataka High Court seeking a status report on the stampede from the state government. The government has been asked to provide the reasons that led to the mishap and if it could have been prevented.
