Bengaluru, April 27, 2026 — In a shocking security breach during IPL 2026, Bengaluru Police have arrested two individuals for deliberately disabling over 240 CCTV cameras at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans match on April 24. The accused allegedly tampered with critical surveillance hardware, triggering a temporary monitoring blackout across key zones of one of India's most iconic cricket venues.

How the Sabotage Unfolded

According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed at Cubbon Park Police Station, the two accused entered the stadium premises at approximately 11:30 AM using a deactivated access card, bypassing standard entry protocols. They then gained unauthorised access to restricted zones, including the CCTV control room, server rooms, and optical fibre connection hubs near the parking area.

Once inside, the duo allegedly damaged Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and severed fibre-optic connections, rendering the entire surveillance network inoperable. The affected cameras covered all entry gates, perimeter zones, concourse areas, corporate boxes, and the D Corporate Stand — essentially every critical security checkpoint within the stadium.

Authorities confirmed that backup security protocols were activated swiftly, and the match proceeded to its conclusion without public disruption. However, the sabotage prevented surveillance data from being shared with relevant agencies — a serious breach of event security compliance.

Who Are the Accused?

Police have identified the arrested individuals as Manjunath E., 37, a resident of Hiriyur, Chitradurga district, and Abdul Kalam, 19, from Uttar Pradesh. Both were employed under a subcontractor linked to IVS Digital Solutions — the firm contracted to manage the stadium's digital surveillance infrastructure.

The complaint was formally lodged by Aditya Bhat, an employee of Staqu Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a Gurugram-based AI surveillance company connected to the stadium's monitoring systems. CCTV footage reportedly captured the suspects moving through sensitive areas, providing key evidence for the FIR.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly told police that the sabotage was motivated by frustration over unpaid dues of approximately Rs 10 lakh owed to them by their employer. Investigators are currently verifying this claim while also probing potential lapses in contractor oversight and access control mechanisms.

Security Implications: A Deeper Look

This incident exposes a critical vulnerability in large-scale event security management in India — the outsourcing of sensitive surveillance infrastructure to multi-layered subcontracting chains. When accountability is diluted across contractors and subcontractors, access control becomes dangerously porous.

Notably, the accused used a deactivated access card to enter restricted zones, raising urgent questions about how frequently access credentials are audited and revoked at major sporting venues. The fact that the breach occurred on a high-profile IPL match day — when security should theoretically be at its peak — makes the lapse even more alarming.

This is not an isolated concern. Stadium security failures have been flagged repeatedly across Indian sporting events, but the systemic use of subcontracted labour for critical digital infrastructure — without robust vetting or access management — remains an industry-wide blind spot. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and venue management authorities may face pressure to review their vendor compliance frameworks in the wake of this incident.

Legal Action and Investigation Status

A case has been registered at Cubbon Park Police Station, with authorities seeking legal action against both the accused individuals and IVS Digital Solutions as an entity. The FIR explicitly requests immediate attention to what police have characterised as a deliberate act of sabotage.

Investigators are examining the full scope of the damage, including whether any surveillance data was compromised or stolen — not merely destroyed. The probe is also looking into whether the deactivated access card was an administrative oversight or part of a deliberate plan to gain entry undetected.

RCB's Remaining IPL 2026 Schedule

In a separate development, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have completed their home leg at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for IPL 2026. The franchise's remaining home matches are scheduled to be held in Raipur, owing to prior logistical arrangements made by the IPL and franchise management.

As investigations continue, this case is likely to prompt a comprehensive review of surveillance vendor contracts, access card management protocols, and real-time monitoring redundancies at all IPL venues across India — with broader implications for stadium security nationwide ahead of future high-profile events.