Bengaluru stampede: FIR filed against RCB, event firm and KSCA for culpable homicide

The political slugfest over the tragedy also intensified as the BJP demanded resignations of chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivkumar, who accused it of playing "dirty politics".

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru police on Thursday registered an FIR against RCB, the state cricket association, and others under various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, in connection with the stampede outside Chinnaswamy stadium that killed 11 people.

The political slugfest over the tragedy also intensified as the BJP demanded resignations of chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivkumar, who accused it of playing “dirty politics”.

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Following a complaint by a police inspector, the case was also registered against the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited at Cubbon Park station, police said.

Charges in the FIR included voluntarily causing hurt (section 115), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means (section 118), voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty (section 121) and unlawful assembly (section 190) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Also on Thursday, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha, who is heading the magisterial probe into the stampede, said notices will be issued to Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), RCB and Police Commissioner B Dayananda to join the inquiry while the Karnataka High Court, which took up the matter suo moto, directed the state government to file a status report into the tragic incident by June 10.

Meanwhile, Karnataka home minister Parameshwara announced that the government will formulate a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for mega events, meetings, and celebrations to prevent any untoward incidents.

However, the government announcements or registration of FIR did little for the victims’ inconsolable families.

“Why didn’t they make proper arrangements? Go and see Mysore Palace Road — for political events, they arrange everything. For this celebration, they should have had proper planning. Intelligence should have been there,” said Shivakumar, the grieving father of 15-year-old Divyanshi.

Relatives gathered at the home of the grieving family in Bengaluru’s Yelahanka as the teen’s body was taken for the last rites, a heartbreaking sight.

The mortal remains of some of the victims, hailing from outside Bengaluru, were sent to their respective hometowns, including Siddapur in Uttara Kannada and Udumalaipettai in Tamil Nadu.

Stepping up the attack against the Congress government in the state, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra in New Delhi said,”This is clearly the failure of the state government. The state government will have to own its failure. The chief minister and the deputy chief minister will have to resign for the death of 11 innocent people and those who suffered injuries in the incident.”

He also alleged that the “mutual fight and rift” between the two led to the state “government-manufactured stampede” and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to break his silence over the tragic incident.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar turned emotional and said that Bengaluru has lost its image due to the incident.

“We are deeply hurt. The victims are our own family. The image of Karnataka, the image of Bengaluru…Yes, we take it (responsibility). We are not blaming others, though it has happened very unexpectedly,” he said.

Reacting to allegations by the opposition that police had not permitted celebrations, he said, ” I don’t want to react to any of these BJP guys. I am only answerable to the people of Karnataka and the people of the country. All BJP persons are nonsense… They are also the masterminds of these dirty things.”

He also accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of playing politics on dead bodies and said that the state government has taken full responsibility for the incident.

The state government also informed the high court that the investigation into the stampede has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). A Special Investigation Team (SIT) within the CID will be formed to ensure a thorough and independent probe, it said.