In a major move following a deadly stampede in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government has taken serious action. It has removed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political secretary K Govindaraj and transferred the head of the state’s intelligence department, Hemant Nimbalkar. This comes just a day after several top police officers, including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, were suspended.
What Happened?
A stampede broke out in Bengaluru during a celebration for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after they won the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the first time in 18 years. Thousands of fans had gathered to see their favorite cricket players outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Tragically, 11 people died, including a 14-year-old girl, and 47 others were hurt. The crowd became uncontrollable when a rumor spread that entry into the event was free.
This sad incident has now led to major political and administrative actions in Karnataka.
Why Was Siddaramaiah’s Secretary Removed?
Sources told news outlets that K Govindaraj was removed because he pushed for the RCB celebration events to go ahead, even after the Bengaluru Police Commissioner said no to three separate events. During a meeting at the Chief Minister’s house just hours before the stampede, Govindaraj convinced the police to allow two events – one at Vidhana Soudha (the state legislature building) and another at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
This decision is now being seen as a mistake that may have contributed to the chaos and stampede.
Big Suspensions After the Tragedy
On Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the suspension of several high-ranking police officers. These include:
- B Dayananda – Bengaluru Police Commissioner
- C Balakrishna – Assistant Commissioner of Police
- Shekhar H Tekkannavar – Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central)
- Vikash Kumar Vikash – Additional Commissioner of Police
- A K Girish – Circle Inspector of Cubbon Park Police Station
The government said these officers failed to do their duty properly, which led to the terrible incident.
Opposition Blames CM
The BJP and Janata Dal (Secular), two main opposition parties, criticized the Chief Minister. They said he was trying to blame the police officers instead of taking responsibility. However, Siddaramaiah rejected this and said that he only took action against those who were clearly responsible.
He told reporters, “They are doing politics. I am not playing politics. I took action against officers who failed in their duties.”
Along with Govindaraj, Hemant Nimbalkar, the head of Karnataka’s intelligence department, was also transferred. This shows that the government is taking action at every level to address the issue.
Arrests Made in the Case
In another Breaking News update, Karnataka Police arrested four people in connection with the stampede. One of them is Nikhil Sosale, the head of marketing for RCB. He was caught at the Bengaluru airport early Friday morning while heading to Mumbai.
The other three arrested were from the event management company DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which helped organize the event. These include:
- Sunil Mathew – Vice President (handled IPL events)
- Two other event company officials
The police are also trying to arrest two officials from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). However, they could not find them. KSCA told the Karnataka High Court that it had nothing to do with the stampede and only rented the stadium. The court has now stopped the police from taking any action against KSCA members until June 16.
Karnataka Govt Acts After Deadly Stampede
This tragic incident has shocked Karnataka and the entire country. The stampede has not only led to multiple suspensions and arrests but also raised questions about safety and political decisions.
This story is developing, and more updates are expected soon. Stay with us for Daily news highlights and Breaking News on this situation and other important events happening in India.
