Karnataka leaders head to Delhi for high-level briefing on Chinnaswamy stampede incident

Amid escalating criticism over the RCB event management and police response, CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar meet with Congress high command in Delhi to address accountability and coordination lapses following the tragic event

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar travelled to Delhi early Tuesday morning on a 7 a.m. flight to brief the Congress high command about the June 4 stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives. The briefing comes amid growing criticism over the handling of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) victory celebrations that preceded the tragedy.

Reports indicate that Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is expected to personally discuss the incident with the duo. Additionally, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior party leaders have expressed concerns regarding accountability and coordination, as both state leaders reportedly failed to provide satisfactory explanations about the incident. Key state ministers, including Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, had already arrived in Delhi on Monday night to address the matter.

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The situation has intensified as the Opposition BJP is demanding the resignations of CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, and Home Minister G. Parameshwara, accusing the state government of negligence by allowing the RCB event to proceed despite police warnings. In an attempt at damage control, CM Siddaramaiah had suspended five senior police officers including the Bengaluru Commissioner and two IPS officers a move heavily criticized by Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje as unprecedented and seemingly intended to shield the government from embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy mocked the multiple probes initiated by the government, which include a magisterial inquiry, a one-man commission led by a retired High Court judge, and a Criminal Investigation Department investigation. Home Minister G. Parameshwara, however, has vowed to stand firm and face the situation without retreating.