Bengaluru Stadium May Be Relocated, Says CM Siddaramaiah After Stampede
In the wake of the tragic stampede that claimed 11 lives, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the government is contemplating long-term solutions, including the possibility of relocating the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to a new, more manageable location.
The Chief Minister’s statement comes as his government faces intense scrutiny over the tragic incident that occurred during the victory celebration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL win on June 4.
“The government will look into shifting the cricket stadium to another location,” news agency ANI quoted the Chief Minister as saying. “Such an unpleasant incident should not happen under any government. Personally, this incident has hurt me and the government,” he added, confirming that five police officers have been suspended and the state intelligence chief replaced following the incident.
Siddaramaiah strongly defended his government’s handling of the situation, stating that no misstep was taken by the administration and that the felicitation event was organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), not the government.
“The Secretary and Treasurer of the KSCA invited me to the felicitation programme… It’s not a function we organised. It’s a function they organised, and I was merely invited,” he said. “Apart from that, I am not aware of anything else.”
He also countered criticism from the opposition BJP and JD(S) by questioning if similar demands for resignation were made of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister when people died during the Kumbh Mela.
The Chief Minister also addressed reports that the government had ignored police warnings about security risks before the event. He clarified that the letter from DCP MN Karibasvanna warning about a lack of security personnel was in reference to a proposed felicitation on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha, which was denied permission. He stated the government had no information about the subsequent event organised at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
This claim, however, has been contested by the opposition.
The tragic stampede occurred when an unexpectedly massive crowd, estimated to be over two lakh people, converged outside the 35,000-capacity Chinnaswamy Stadium. The overwhelming numbers and alleged mismanagement at the entry points led to a fatal crush.
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident, and the Karnataka High Court has also taken suo motu cognizance of the tragedy. Both the state government and RCB have announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the deceased.
