Four officials of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team and the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited were reportedly arrested on Friday in connection with the Bengaluru stampede, which claimed 11 lives.
Opposition BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka on Friday jointly lashed out at the Congress government for making police officers the "scapegoat" for the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Four officials of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team and the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited were reportedly arrested on Friday in connection with the Bengaluru stampede, which claimed 11 lives.
There has also been a shake-up in the government. According to reports, the Karnataka government on Friday "relieved" MLC K. Govindaraj of his duties as the political secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah 바카라” a day after Siddaramaiah suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda and four other senior police officials.
A political slugfest ensued, as the Opposition BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka on Friday jointly lashed out at the Congress government for making police officers the "scapegoats" for the stampede. Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar accused the opposition of doing politics over "dead bodies" in response to their attacks on the ruling party.
The stampede occurred on June 4 evening in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident.
PTI has coited sources to report that four officials of RCB and event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited were arrested on Friday in connection with the stampede outside Chinnaswamy stadium. They were remanded to 14-day judicial custody, reportedly
The report also stated that a complaint was filed by social activist H M Venkatesh against Cricketer Virat Kohli holding him responsible for the stampede during the celebrations of RCB's first ever IPL victory on June 4. However, no FIR has been registered on his complaint yet, PTI said.
Kohli is also in RCB squad.
The 41st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate remanded Nikhil Sosale (Head of Marketing and Revenue) of RCB and Sunil Mathew (Vice President, Business Affairs), Kiran Kumar (Senior Event Manager) and Sumanth (Ticketing Operations Lead) from DNA Entertainment Private Limited to 14-day judicial custody.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh confirmed that few arrests have been made over the stampede case.
"Few arrests have been made. Our teams are taking the case very seriously, and ultimately the case has to go to CID. So before going to CID, whatever legal formalities have to be done by our team, they are doing it," he said.
Meanwhile, another FIR was registered against RCB, DNA Entertainment Private Limited and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) based on the complaint of a victim in the stampede incident.
Earlier in the day, Sosale, who was taken into custody from the Kempegowda International Airport, had moved the High Court challenging his arrest. However, he did not get immediate relief and the case was adjourned to June 9.
The RCB and event management officials were nabbed in a joint operation by the crime branch and Bengaluru Police. After medical examination, they were produced before the court amid tight security.
Police action followed the FIR registered on June 5 against RCB, DNA Entertainment Private Limited and KSCA.
On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah instructed the DGP and IGP of the state to immediately arrest the representatives of RCB and DNA event managers and KSCA for the stampede, as prima facie there was "irresponsibility" and "carelessness" on their part.
The Karnataka government on Friday "relieved" MLC K Govindaraj as political secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and shunted out Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Intelligence, Hemant Nimbalkar in connection with the stampede, PTI reported.
These decisions came a day after Siddaramaiah suspended Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior police officials.
The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium here, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and 56 were injured in the incident.
"The appointment of K Govindaraj as Political Secretary to the Chief Minister is hereby revoked with immediate effect. Accordingly, K Govindaraj is hereby relieved from the post of Political Secretary to the Chief Minister with immediate effect," an official notification said.
Though no official reason was given for Govindaraj's removal, the decision is said to be linked to the June 4 incident, according to official sources.
Amid allegations of intelligence failure over the stampede and the administration's inaction in this regard, the government has decided to transfer ADGP, Intelligence, Hemant Nimbalkar, and senior IPS officer Ravi S will replace him.
"Hemant M. Nimbalkar, IPS (KN 1998) Additional Director General of Police, Intelligence is transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders as Additional Director General of Police & Commissioner, Department of Information and Public Relations, Bengaluru," the official notification said.
"Ravi S, IPS (KN 1998) Additional Director General of Police & Principal Secretary to Government (PCAS), Bengaluru is transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders as Additional Director General of Police, Intelligence vice Hemant M Nimbalkar, transferred," it added.
Conceding that there was an intelligence failure in connection with the stampede incident, the CM on Thursday said, "No decision has been made yet about what action to be taken in this regard. We have discussed it."
Opposition BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka on Friday jointly lashed out at the Congress government for making police officers the "scapegoat" for the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium here that killed 11 people, and alleged that the entire responsibility for the incident lies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar.
JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy termed the suspension of five officials as a "blunder" and asserted that this government should go.
State BJP president B Y Vijayendra demanded the Chief Minister and deputy CM's resignation and a case be booked against them.
The government on Thursday suspended Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior police officials in connection with the incident for the dereliction of duty.
"Yesterday's decision to suspend five police officers is another blunder of this government. The entire fault lies with the government. To build their image by misusing this IPL victory of RCB, both CM and DCM have taken decisions (to organise victory celebration) by going against the advice given by senior officers," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Now after the bad incident (stampede) that took place on June 4, the government is blaming it as police failure. Failure of police means government failure. This government should go according to me."
Vijayendra said Siddarmaiah to save his face has made the police officers the scapegoat by targeting them.
"Police commissioner of Bengaluru has been made the scapegoat in this entire episode. But it was a failure on part of the intelligence and the intelligence department is with Siddaramaiah," he said.
Noting that in the FIR that was registered, RCB, DNA event management firm and KSCA have been named as accused. "But in this entire episode accused number one is the chief minister himself, accused number two is deputy CM D K Shivakumar -- they have to be named as accused number one and two, because it is sheer carelessness, negligence on part of the state government, which has led to this tragedy," the BJP chief said.
The CM has to take up the responsibility, instead of making the officers as the scapegoat. "The chief minister has to tender his resignation and D K Shivakumar has to resign," he said.
Pointing out that as per the FIR, when the permission was sought for victory rally, it was denied by the police, Vijayendra asked, then how did the government decide to organise the victory celebration on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha.
"Lakhs of people had gathered near Chinnaswamy stadium and Vidhana Soudha, so police could not give security at both places and this resulted in tragedy and loss of 11 lives," he said.
Noting that ultimately the onus is on the CM and Deputy CM, he further said, despite deaths they went on with the celebrations. "Shivakumar had even gone to the victory celebration at the stadium despite deaths there. This is so insensitive." Alleging that pressure was exerted by the CM himself to carryout the victory celebrations of RCB, Vijayendra claimed that the senior officials were called to CM's house and when they tried convince him not to organise celebrations hurriedly, Siddaramaiah insisted and ordered to give permission and only then permission was granted.
"This clearly shows the government's eagerness to encash on RCB's victory for their publicity gimmick that has led to this tragedy," he added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of doing politics over "dead bodies", as he hit out at them for demanding his resignation following the June 4 stampede here that killed 11 people.
"They (opposition) are trying to do politics over dead bodies. We are not doing it. We have sincerity....what do they have to target me? In what way am I responsible?" Shivakumar asked.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Karnataka State Cricket Association wrote (to the government) seeking permission. The event was held. I'm Bengaluru Minister..... I had also gone to the stadium as the Bengaluru Minister, what is wrong?" "I had gone to the airport (to receive the RCB team). I requested them to cooperate as there was no permission for the victory procession. I gave them a Kannada flag and welcomed them. What's wrong? What crime have I committed?" he further asked.
On criticism about going ahead with the RCB celebration despite having information about deaths, Shivakumar said, "I had no information, I'm telling you..." The opposition BJP and JD(S) earlier today lashed out at the Congress government for making police officers the "scapegoat" for the stampede and alleged that the entire responsibility for the incident lies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. They also demanded their resignation.
To the charges that instead of Deputy CM resigning, five police officials, including the police commissioner, were made scapegoats by suspending them, Sivakumar said the government and the CM had taken the decision after discussing it in the cabinet.
On demands that there should be action against "big people" in the government too, he said, "What we should do, should be left to us.
Listening to someone, or for the sake of someone's criticism we won't act. We know what to do. People have blessed us (to power)."
When reporters asked about the opposition asking for his resignation, the Deputy CM, with sarcasm, said, "They are seeking my resignation. Fine, let's fulfill their desire...." In what is seen as a comment targeted at the JD(S) and its leader H D Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar said, "They comment about me getting emotional (expressing grief over stampede), but what about them shedding tears during the election? I won't speak about others' family matters...." Questioned about Kumaraswamy targeting him, he said, "We have love for each other.
He has a lot of love for me, so he asks for my resignation..." When told that the BJP and JD(S) were planning for a joint fight against the government, Shivakumar asked "when were they alone? They have always been together since Lok Sabha polls. Let them include ten more with them. I, too, know who is doing what in the background. God has given me some intelligence."
Noting that a magistrate, a one-man commission under a retired high court judge, and the CID are probing into the stampede incident, Shivakumar said the government is doing its best to provide justice.