Karnataka High Court orders state to share Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede report

The Karnataka High Court on Monday, July 14, ordered the state government to publicly disclose its status report on the tragic stampede incident that occurred on June 4 outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL victory celebration. The stampede resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injured over 50.

Following the stampede, the state government submitted a status report in a sealed cover, requesting that it remain confidential. The report was part of a suo motu public interest litigation initiated to evaluate accountability and suggest preventive measures for future public gatherings. The government mentioned that disclosure could influence the ongoing Magisterial and Judicial Commission inquiries into the incident.

However, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice C M Joshi rejected the state’s plea for confidentiality. The bench ruled that the contents of the report merely contained the government’s perception of facts and did not meet the approach required for sealed cover protection, which applies only in matters involving national security, public interest, or privacy rights.

The court emphasized that retired judges and senior officials leading the inquiries are expected to remain impartial and are unlikely to be influenced by the report. The High Court directed the state to share the report, with translations, if necessary, with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), RCB, and DNA Entertainment Networks, who were involved in organising the event. These parties are expected to help the court in better understanding the events that led to the tragedy, the reasons behind the massive crowd mismanagement, and whether the disaster could have been prevented.

RCB, DNA officials submit testimonies

The decision came after submissions by Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty, who claimed the sealed cover was essential until all formal inquiries were concluded. However, amicus curiae S. Susheela pointed out the lack of legal factors for the delay and the need for transparency.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had earlier held RCB accountable for attracting a crowd of nearly three to five lakh people through unregulated victory parade announcements made on social media. The tribunal stressed that RCB went ahead without the required permissions, contributing to the chaos. Bengaluru police officials, including Inspector General Vikash Kumar, were dismissed for failure of duty, a decision that remains under review.

Meanwhile, RCB and DNA officials have submitted testimonies as part of a CID investigation. RCB, which initially announced an increased compensation to victims’ families and the establishment of a relief fund, RCB Cares, has not released any updates since the tragedy.

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