RCB management company head Nikhil Sosale arrested from airport

Four people, including the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Marketing Head and DNA Event Management Company staffers, were arrested on Friday in connection with the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives. 

Nikhil Sosale, Head of Marketing for RCB, along with Sunil Matthew, Kiran, and Sumanth from DNA Event Management, have been arrested, according to the police.

Police said the accused have been arrested in a joint operation at the Bengaluru International Airport.

The police have also raided the residences of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary Shankar and KSCA Treasurer Jayaram.

The government has also appointed a new Police Commissioner for Bengaluru city.

An order stated: “On June 4, there was a stampede during the victory celebrations of RCB in Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Eleven people have died and more than 50 people have been injured. A Magisterial enquiry has been ordered under Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Bengaluru Urban District, Bengaluru for giving his report within 15 days.”

On examination of the way events have unfolded leading to the tragedy prima facie, it is found that there has been on the face of it substantial dereliction of duty by the following officers - B Dayananda, IPS, Additional Director General and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, Bengaluru; Vikash Kumar Vikash, IPS, Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police, West, Bengaluru City; Shekar H Tekkannavar, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Division, Bengaluru City; C Balakrishna, Asst commissioner of Police, Cubbon Park, Bengaluru and A. K. Girish, Police Inspector, Cubbon Park Police Station, Bengaluru, the order states.

The officers are placed under suspension with immediate effect, the order says.

The order further underlined that: “The CEO of RCB had intimated Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City on June 3 about holding the victory parade and celebrations on June 4. However, the office of Police Commissioner failed to give written reply to the organisers, rejecting permission on the grounds of lack of time to prepare for such a huge event.”

The RCB and the Cricket Association went ahead to write on social media about the celebrations and invited the fans to Chinnaswamy stadium without going through the usual practice of issue of tickets or passes.

Despite, the knowledge of these developments and expectation of huge turnout of cricket fans by the police, steps were not taken to either have the event organised systematically at the stadium or give adequate information to the public to take necessary precautions for their safety or provide additional Police force for appropriate crowd management, the order noted.

Further, the above situation was not discussed with the higher ups for taking necessary guidance and advice in the matter. As a result, the situation went out of control and brought a lot of misery, loss of precious life and embarrassment to the Government. In view of the above, the conduct of the above mentioned IPS Officers is in gross violation of AIS (Conduct) Rules and that of the ACP and PI is in gross violation of Karnataka State Police (Disciplinary Proceedings) Rules, 1965, the order stated.

The order further mentioned: “During the period of suspension, the officers shall not leave the Headquarters, under any circumstances without the written permission of the state government.”

Meanwhile, 1996 Karnataka batch officer Seemanth Kumar Singh, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force, Bengaluru is transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders as Additional Director General of Police & Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, Bengaluru.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)