What Happened in the Bengaluru Stampede? AG Requests Time to Submit Report

Bengaluru, June 10 (NationPress) The Advocate General, who represents the Karnataka government, requested additional time on Monday to submit a report concerning the tragic stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, which resulted in the loss of 11 lives during the victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team.

In light of this request, the High Court Bench led by Acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi approved that the report be submitted no later than Thursday, to be enclosed in a sealed cover. The court has postponed further discussions on the matter until June 12.

The Karnataka High Court had initiated suo motu cognizance regarding the stampede and requested a detailed report from the state government.

Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty informed the court that he had yet to present a reply to the Bench. He mentioned that the government had established a judicial commission and suspended certain police officers. He expressed concerns that any materials shared in an open court could be used against the accused.

He emphasized that making submissions in open court could lead to prejudice against the government. The Advocate General insisted that an independent inquiry's report should be presented.

The court probed him about his reluctance to submit the report, asking if he was implying that it wouldn't be filed before the court, but ultimately, the Bench allowed the submission of the report in a sealed cover.

"You are to file your reply in a sealed cover by the day after tomorrow and bring it to court on that date. That would be preferable," the Bench stated.

The matter was adjourned, with the Bench concluding that they would refrain from making any comments until the report is submitted. They also indicated they would consider the impleading applications at that time.

Previously, on June 5, the Karnataka High Court had asked the state government for a report detailing lapses and other relevant information regarding the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

In response to the incident, the High Court initiated a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and demanded a report from the state government.

A Division Bench, led by Acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, expressed their concern over the tragedy and inquired whether Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were adhered to and if appropriate guidelines were established to manage the situation at Chinnaswamy Stadium during the victory celebrations.

The court also sought information regarding the total number of gates at Chinnaswamy Stadium and how many were opened during the celebration for fan entry. They questioned why medical facilities were absent at the scene and why ambulances were not available for those who became unwell.

The court requested clarification on whether all fatalities occurred at the stadium gates.

The acting Chief Justice instructed the government to provide a comprehensive status report related to the tragic incident and postponed the matter until June 10.

Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, representing the government, submitted the available report on the tragedy, stating that while Chinnaswamy Stadium has a seating capacity of 35,000, approximately 250,000 people attended. He informed the court that typically, 700 police officers monitor crowds during cricket matches; however, for this celebration, 1,600 officers were deployed to manage the crowd.

Individuals from across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu came to partake in the event, which led to the unfortunate incident, he noted. He also reported that all 21 stadium gates were open during the event, according to government information.

Senior counsel G.R. Mohan argued that only three gates were open during the celebration event. Senior counsel Hemanth Raj contended that the state government should not have honored RCB players since they had not represented the country, suggesting that the tragedy resulted from permitting two programs on the same day.