BENGALURU: The State Cabinet on Thursday accepted Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission report that recommended legal action against Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL)/RCB, DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and departmental inquiry against government officials, including the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand, and others.
The report, however, gave a clean chit to the government that allowed the celebrations.
Speaking to reporters, Law Minister HK Patil said the report was discussed and accepted in the Cabinet.
The Commission has recommended criminal and civil action against RCB, KSCA, DNA and government officials. Direction will be given to the Home Department for departmental inquiry against senior police officers, the minister said.
Asked if the report mentions or makes any recommendations against Dy CM DK Shivakumar, who attended the celebrations at the stadium, or has been there been any mention of the government’s involvement or tweet by the CM’s office, the minister said he has not seen the report.
The commission report stated: “The organisers were duty-bound to obtain prior permission by submitting an application in the prescribed format at least seven days in advance of the proposed event, furnishing the details like venue, number of attendees, anticipated vehicular traffic and other details, but organisers failed to obtain the required permission and licence.”
Though the government received severe criticism for mismanagement, the report blamed only senior police officials for their failure to stop the event knowing fully well that the event was unauthorised and was organised in-haste without proper security.
Report also blames design of stadium
The report also blamed the design of the stadium. It stated that the design and structure of the stadium was unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering. All the entry and exit gates were directly opening into the public footpath. Spacious holding area for crowd were not provided at the entry, as a result, the audience were forced to queue up on the footpath or the road obstructing and endangering the pedestrians and vehicular movements, it stated.
The report also blamed the organisers and stated stampede was triggered by the organisers themselves by not regulating the entry into the gates and making reckless announcement with regard to the entry into the stadium, which, in the opinion of the Commission, was the root cause for the stampede and the consequent death and injuries.
It also said this situation was created by the organisers themselves due to the lack of preparation and hasty decision which tantamount to recklessness bordering or gross negligence, for which the organisers should be made accountable.
“The organisers failed to make arrangement for safety and security of the invitees,” it added. The report stated that the security provided by the police was inadequate and ineffective to meet the exigency. “Out of 515 men and officers deputed for bandobust, only 79 men and officers were posted outside the gates to manage and control the crowd. Even these men and officers were not visible at the venue during the crisis.”
The report stated that the absence of coordinated messaging and reliable updates prevented effective crowd management and contributed directly to the uncontrolled surge at various gates. It noted gate number 7, 2/2A, 18 and 20 and other gates where 11 deaths and 71 injuries were recorded due to the chaotic crowding cause by communication failures.
The D’Cunha Commission recommends appropriate legal action as per the law against RCB, DNA entertainment and KSCA and in particular, Raghuram Bhat, KSCA President; A Shankar, former Secretary, KSCA; Jairam ES, former treasurer, KSCA; Rajesh Menon, Vice President, RCSPL, Venkat Vardhan, MD, DNA, Sunil Mathew, Vice President, DNA, along with B Dayanand (ADGP and the then Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru), Vikash Kumar Vikash (IG and Additional Commissioner, West Bengaluru), Shekar J Tekkanavar (DCP-Central), C Balakrishna (ACP-Cubbon Park) and Girish AK (Police Inspector- Cubbon Park PS).
Other cabinet decisions
Cabinet approves the release of 46 convicts for good behaviour
Cabinet nod for Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill. Earlier, the govt had issued the Ordinance and now the Bill will be tabled in the monsoon session
Cabinet approves renewal of land lease to Rangashankara at JP Nagar
Centre for Excellence for Space-tech will be established
Rs 200 crore to implement Local Economy Accelerator Programme