As Karnataka HC cracks down, cops too put RCB in dock
BENGALURU: The Cubbon Park police investigating the stampede incident that killed 11 persons including two minors during the RCB victory celebrations have registered an FIR against the RCB Franchise, DNA Entertainment Private Limited and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee. RCB Franchise is accused number 1, DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd is accused number 2 and KSCA Administrative Committee is accused number 3, according to the FIR.
The suo motu FIR has been registered for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (BNS 105), voluntarily causing hurt(BNS 115) and voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means (BNS 118), assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty (BNS 132), causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others (BNS 125(b)) along with other sections of BNS. AK Girish, Police Inspector, Cubbon Park, is the complainant in the case.
Details of complaint
On June 3, at 6 pm, Shubendu Ghosh, CEO, KSCA submitted a request to the inspector of Cubbon Park police station, requesting security arrangements for the RCB team’s victory celebration at the stadium on Wednesday evening. The inspector denied permission stating that proper bandobast have to be made in a short notice as lakhs of fans would gather and disrupt traffic. However, the KSCA, DNA and RCB franchise insisted that the program should be held on Wednesday evening.
Without taking any prior permission from the competent authority,the RCB franchise through its social media handles started advertising since Wednesday morning about the victory celebration of the RCB team and also the victory parade.
The fans were invited to gather for the celebrations at the Chinnaswamy stadium. The information was widely publicized in other news media and social media, which attracted lakhs of people. Following this appropriate security arrangements were made by taking permission from the city police commissioner, the inspector has stated in his complaint.
Amid this program, the government had also organized a felicitation ceremony for the RCB team players at the Vidhana Soudha, for which security arrangements were also made. Lakhs of fans gathered near Chinnaswamy Stadium which has a total seating capacity of 30-35 thousand. The accused failed to decide on how to allow fans inside the stadium.
The fans gathered on the road outside the stadium. At 3.10 pm, after the gates were opened there was a stampede-like situation and many fans sustained injuries. 11 persons died and 64 others were injured during the stampede at gate No. 02, 02A, 06, 07, 15, 17, 18, 20 and 21. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. The victory celebration programme began at 5.45 pm inside the stadium and security arrangements had to be made for all the players and VIPs participating in the program to ensure that the program ran smoothly, the inspector stated.
The stampede incident took place, even though the RCB franchise, DNA, and KSCA board were denied permission for the celebrations. The accused did not organize the program properly and failed in facilitating the fans to enter the stadium easily. The complainant further stated that lakhs of fans gathered around the stadium as they were repeatedly informed by the RCB franchise on social media about free passes being distributed at the gates, the complainant added.