K’taka govt exonerates three IPS officers in Chinnaswamy stampede case

Bengaluru, July 15 (IANS) The Karnataka government on Tuesday exonerated senior IPS officers B. Dayananda, Vikash Kumar Vikash and Shekhar H. Tekkannavar in connection with the June 4, 2025, Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede case in which 11 people were killed, bringing an end to the departmental proceedings initiated against them under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.

Separate orders issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Services-IV) stated that the disciplinary proceedings initiated under Rule 8(4) of the AIS (D&A) Rules have been closed after the competent authority examined the officers’ statements of defence and the opinion of the Administrative Department.

B. Dayananda, a 1994-batch IPS officer who was serving as Additional Director General of Police and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, and Shekhar H. Tekkannavar, a 2014-batch IPS officer and then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division), Bengaluru City, were suspended on June 5, 2025, a day after the stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed several lives and triggered widespread criticism over crowd management and security arrangements.

Vikash Kumar Vikash, a 2004-batch IPS officer, was serving as Inspector General of Police and Additional Commissioner of Police (West), Bengaluru City, when he was placed under suspension on June 5, 2025, pending disciplinary proceedings over the stampede incident.

Although their suspensions were subsequently revoked, departmental inquiries continued. Show-cause notices along with articles of charge were served on both officers on July 31, 2025. In their replies submitted on September 8, 2025, the officers denied the allegations and sought to be exonerated.

According to the government orders dated July 14, 2026, the competent authority found no grounds to continue the proceedings.

“In the circumstances explained in the preamble, the Departmental Enquiry Proceedings initiated against Sri B. Dayananda, IPS (KN:1994), under Rule 8(4) of AIS (D&A) Rules are hereby closed, and the officer is exonerated of the charges levelled against him,” the order about Dayananda stated.

A similar order was issued in respect of Tekkannavar. However, while exonerating him of the charges, the government issued a warning advising him “to act responsibly to ensure that such incidents shall not recur in the future.”

The Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede on June 4, 2025, had led to disciplinary action against several police officials, including the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner and senior officers responsible for overseeing security arrangements during the event.

Copies of the orders have been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Personnel and Training, the Karnataka Home Department and other concerned authorities, formally closing the proceedings against the two IPS officers.

It can be recalled that a total of 11 people were killed in the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede in Bengaluru on June 4, 2025, during the celebrations marking Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden IPL title victory. The incident also left at least 56 people injured, according to official figures.

The crowd crush occurred outside multiple gates of the stadium as tens of thousands of fans gathered for the felicitation ceremony. Investigations later revealed that nearly 2.5 lakh people had converged around the venue, overwhelming the security and crowd-management arrangements.

The deceased included six men and five women, and the tragedy led to multiple inquiries, suspensions of senior police officers, and legal proceedings involving event organisers and government officials.

–IANS

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