Tragic Stampede at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium: Court Takes Action

Court Responds to Bengaluru Stampede Incident

Bengaluru: In light of the tragic stampede that occurred near Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in the loss of at least 11 lives, the Karnataka High Court has initiated a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and requested a report from the Congress-led state government.

The division bench, led by acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, expressed its deep concern over the incident and has scheduled a hearing for 2:30 p.m.

During the court proceedings, senior advocates Hemanth Raj and G.R. Mohan presented details about the incident, emphasizing security failures. They noted that large crowds had climbed the High Court building, situated opposite Vidhana Soudha, to witness a felicitation event for RCB players.

In response to the incident, the Karnataka Police have filed Unnatural Death Cases (UDR) concerning the 11 fatalities. The Cubbon Park police have recorded these cases, but no FIR has been filed yet, according to sources.

This decision has sparked public outrage, as the police could have pursued charges against the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and the event management firm. Sources indicate that no one has yet accepted responsibility for the incident, with UDR cases being initiated under the guidance of senior officials.

Social activist Snehamayi Krishna has lodged a complaint with the Cubbon Park police against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, KSCA officials, and others. In the complaint, Krishna has urged the police to file charges under Section 106 of the BNS Act.

A copy of this complaint has also been forwarded to the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, requesting action against those responsible, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

The petition has been sent to the Director General and Inspector General of Police, as well as the Police Commissioner of Bengaluru. The petitioner emphasized the gravity of the matter, implicating the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and other influential figures.

Meanwhile, authorities have completed post-mortem examinations for the deceased at Victoria and Bowring Hospitals, returning the bodies to their families. The post-mortem was conducted overnight to facilitate the swift return of the bodies.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the victims and has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

The BJP has labeled the deaths resulting from the stampede as 'government-sponsored murders' and has called for the immediate resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara.