By The Sampadak Express
Hours before a deadly stampede claimed 11 lives during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebration, senior Karnataka police officials had red-flagged serious security concerns, according to multiple reports.
The event, originally planned for the iconic steps of the Vidhana Soudha, was relocated to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. However, police had already warned about critical gaps in crowd control and surveillance ahead of the mass gathering.
In a letter dated June 4, MN Karibasavana Gowda, the senior police officer in charge of security at the state legislature, warned the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) about an “acute shortage” of police personnel to manage a large-scale event. He also highlighted the sensitive nature of the venue and a lack of sufficient CCTV coverage.“
Lakhs of cricket fans are likely to come to Vidhana Soudha. Since there is a shortage of security personnel, making bandobast will be a problem,” Gowda wrote to DPAR Secretary G Sathyavathi.
Following the warning, Sathyavathi appealed to fans to shift to the stadium for the celebrations. Despite the red flags, the felicitation went ahead with limited preparation, reportedly taking place less than 24 hours after RCB’s historic win in the IPL final against Punjab Kings.
Sources said that the DCP’s warning note was also shared with the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh. Nonetheless, the necessary permissions were granted, and no substantial changes were made to the crowd control plans.
The consequences were tragic. On the evening of June 4, lakhs of fans gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The overwhelming crowd led to a deadly stampede just ahead of the team’s arrival for the felicitation ceremony, killing 11 and injuring several others.
In response, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah raised the compensation for the victims’ families from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh each. Additionally, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials, Secretary A. Shankar and Treasurer E.S. Jairam, have resigned, citing moral responsibility.
The state government has set up a one-man commission to investigate the procedural lapses, with a report expected within 30 days.
