Bengaluru Police Investigate CCTV Tampering Ahead of IPL Match

Bengaluru Police are investigating a CCTV tampering incident that occurred just hours before an IPL 2026 match, attributed to an internal dispute among vendors. An FIR has been filed against two individuals for damaging critical infrastructure, but authorities assure that match security and crowd control were not compromised. The incident, linked to unpaid bills, was resolved swiftly, allowing the match to proceed without disruption. Investigators are now focusing on accountability within the vendor chain as they piece together the events leading to this alarming situation.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 28, 2026, 12:09 IST

Internal Dispute Triggers Security Alarm

A potential security scare just hours before a crowded IPL 2026 match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been linked to an internal conflict among a private vendor network. Bengaluru Police have confirmed that match security and crowd management were not affected.

FIR Filed for CCTV Tampering

An FIR has been lodged against two suspects, Manjunath (37) and Abdul Kalam (19), for allegedly interfering with the stadium's CCTV system on April 24, coinciding with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's match against Gujarat Titans.

According to a complaint from Aditya Bhat of Staqu Technologies Pvt Ltd, over 240 cameras went offline on match day after critical infrastructure, including Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems and optical fiber lines, was damaged.

Police reports indicate that the accused, associated with subcontractor IVS Digital Solutions, accessed restricted areas using a deactivated access card, entered the CCTV room, and severed fiber connections near a junction box in the parking lot.

Financial Dispute Behind Incident

The Office of the Commissioner of Police in Bengaluru has indicated that a financial dispute was the catalyst for this incident.

"The CCTV installation was subcontracted to IVS Digital Solutions by STAQU, and the incident stemmed from unpaid bills," the official statement noted.

It was further clarified that two contract workers from IVS Digital Solutions intentionally cut the CCTV camera wires, and the server room was under the subcontractor's control.

Quick Resolution Before Match

Despite the significant outage, officials reported that the issue was resolved promptly.

"The problem was addressed and fixed before the stadium gates opened, ensuring no disruption in crowd management or security," they stated.

A senior officer mentioned that the damage was detected around 11:30 AM and rectified swiftly, allowing match-day operations to proceed smoothly.

"Both suspects have been identified, and further actions will follow. All CCTV systems were restored within an hour, and the disruption did not affect the match proceedings."

No Impact on Match Safety

In a statement to a media outlet, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Akshay Hakay dismissed any claims that the incident jeopardized safety.

"This incident had no impact on match management or crowd control. The issue was resolved well before the gates opened," he affirmed.

The DCP emphasized that this was an internal issue among vendors rather than a failure of police oversight.

"This was not an external breach but an act by insiders linked to the subcontractor. The server room is managed by the event organizer and their vendor, with police oversight limited to monitoring live inputs. It was their own employees who cut the wires, so how can this be blamed on the police?"

"The match proceeded successfully without any incidents. Investigations are ongoing."

A Narrow Escape

While the sight of numerous cameras going offline may raise concerns, police maintain that systems were restored before fans arrived, on-ground security remained intact, and the overall security framework was never compromised.

Attention now turns to accountability within the vendor chain as investigators work to clarify the exact circumstances surrounding the sabotage.