Chinnaswamy stampede: BJP slams Congress over clean chit to 3 IPS officers
Synopsis
Karnataka's Congress government has closed departmental proceedings against three IPS officers over the June 2025 Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede that killed 11 people — and BJP's Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka is calling it a systematic cover-up. With the CM, Deputy CM, Chief Secretary, DPAR Secretary, and now police officers all exonerated, the question of who bears responsibility for 11 deaths remains unanswered.
Key Takeaways
The Karnataka government closed departmental proceedings against IPS officers B.
Dayananda , Vikash Kumar Vikash , and Shekhar H.
Tekkannavar on Tuesday, 14 July 2025 .
The Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede on 4 June 2025 killed 11 people — six men and five women — and injured at least 56 during RCB's IPL title celebrations.
Nearly 2.5 lakh fans had gathered at the venue, overwhelming crowd-management arrangements.
BJP Leader of Opposition R.
Ashoka alleged the Congress government was shielding those responsible and called it a 'government-sponsored tragedy.' Ashoka alleged that then CM Siddaramaiah approved two-venue celebrations and then Deputy CM D.K.
Shivakumar was present despite the unfolding crisis.
Legal proceedings against event organisers and government officials remain ongoing.
Karnataka Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka on Wednesday, 15 July 2025, launched a sharp attack on the state's Congress government after it exonerated three senior IPS officers in connection with the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede of 4 June 2025, which killed 11 people and injured at least 56. Ashoka alleged that the government was systematically shielding those responsible for the tragedy rather than delivering justice to the victims' families.
The clean chit and what it means
The Karnataka government on Tuesday closed departmental proceedings against senior IPS officers B. Dayananda, Vikash Kumar Vikash, and Shekhar H. Tekkannavar under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. Separate orders from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) — Services-IV stated that disciplinary proceedings initiated under Rule 8(4) of the AIS (D&A) Rules were closed after the competent authority reviewed the officers' defence statements and the Administrative Department's opinion.
Ashoka's allegations against the government
Ashoka accused the Congress administration of treating the incident as a 'government-sponsored killing.' He alleged that then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had approved holding IPL victory celebrations at two separate venues on the same day, while then Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar allegedly participated in a photo opportunity holding an RCB flag despite the unfolding tragedy.
He further alleged that, despite warnings from the police, then DPAR Secretary Satyavathi insisted on holding the event in front of the Vidhana Soudha, while then Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh was overseeing the overall administrative machinery. 'Today, Siddaramaiah has no fault, D.K. Shivakumar is innocent, the Chief Secretary is blameless, the DPAR Secretary is innocent, and now even the police officers have been exonerated. Then who is responsible for the deaths of those 11 innocent people? Did they die on their own?' Ashoka said.
What happened at Chinnaswamy Stadium
The crowd crush occurred outside multiple gates of Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on 4 June 2025 during a felicitation ceremony for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL title victory. Investigations later revealed that nearly 2.5 lakh fans had converged around the venue, overwhelming security and crowd-management arrangements. The deceased included six men and five women. The tragedy triggered multiple inquiries, suspensions of senior police officers, and legal proceedings against event organisers and government officials.
BJP's accountability demand
Ashoka said he had raised the issue on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly and accused the government of using inquiries as a cover-up mechanism. 'The tears and curse of the grieving parents will not spare this murderous Congress government,' he said in a statement. He warned that public scrutiny would outlast political power, directing his remarks at Deputy CM Shivakumar: 'Power is not permanent, Mr D.K. Shivakumar. The people have not forgotten.'
What happens next
With departmental proceedings against the three IPS officers now closed, accountability questions are likely to shift to judicial and legislative arenas. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has signalled it will continue pressing the issue in the Assembly. Legal proceedings involving event organisers and government officials remain ongoing, and victims' families are yet to receive a final accountability verdict from any forum.
Point of View
The inquiry mechanism itself comes under scrutiny. The BJP's outrage is politically motivated, but the underlying question is legitimate: in a tragedy where 2.5 lakh people overwhelmed a stadium and 11 died, someone made decisions that failed those people. Karnataka's justice system, not just its departmental processes, will now be watched.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede?
The Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede occurred on 4 June 2025 in Bengaluru during a felicitation ceremony for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden IPL title victory. Nearly 2.5 lakh fans converged on the venue, overwhelming security arrangements and resulting in the deaths of 11 people — six men and five women — and injuries to at least 56 others.
Why were the three IPS officers given a clean chit?
The Karnataka government closed departmental proceedings against IPS officers B. Dayananda, Vikash Kumar Vikash, and Shekhar H. Tekkannavar after the competent authority reviewed their statements of defence and the Administrative Department's opinion under Rule 8(4) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The government has not publicly detailed the specific grounds for exoneration.
What is the BJP alleging about the Congress government?
BJP's Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka alleges that the Karnataka Congress government is systematically shielding those responsible for the 11 deaths by clearing every official in the chain of command — from the Chief Minister to the police officers. He has called it a 'government-sponsored tragedy' and accused the government of using inquiries as a cover-up tool.
Who has been held accountable for the stampede so far?
As of 15 July 2025, departmental proceedings against the three senior IPS officers have been closed. Ashoka noted that then CM Siddaramaiah, then Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, the Chief Secretary, and the DPAR Secretary have also not faced consequences. Legal proceedings against event organisers and government officials remain ongoing.
What happens next in the Chinnaswamy stampede case?
With departmental inquiries against the IPS officers now closed, accountability is expected to be pursued through judicial and legislative channels. The BJP has signalled continued pressure in the Karnataka Assembly, and legal proceedings involving event organisers and officials are still active.
