In a major development in the Bengaluru stampede case, the Karnataka government has closed the departmental inquiry against former Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda and two other senior IPS officers in connection with the deadly stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory celebrations in June 2025. The state government on Tuesday decided to drop the departmental proceedings against the officers, effectively giving them a clean chit in the case that claimed 11 lives and left more than 50 people injured.
The decision marks a significant turn in one of Bengaluru's worst public safety tragedies in recent years, which had triggered intense political debate, administrative action and judicial scrutiny over crowd management failures.
The tragic incident occurred on June 4, 2025, when thousands of cricket fans gathered outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden Indian Premier League title. As massive crowds assembled near the venue, a stampede broke out, leaving 11 people dead and more than 50 others injured.
The incident sparked widespread criticism over the planning and execution of the celebrations, with questions being raised about crowd control measures, coordination between organisers and police, and the overall management of the event.
Following the tragedy, the Karnataka government, under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, suspended several police officials, holding them accountable for lapses that allegedly contributed to the incident.
Among those suspended were then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, Additional Commissioner of Police Vikas Kumar Vikas, and then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Shekhar. An Assistant Commissioner of Police and a Police Inspector were also placed under suspension as part of the disciplinary action.
According to a government circular issued on Tuesday, the decision to close the inquiry was taken after examining the defence submitted by the officers and the views of the administrative department.
"After reviewing the defence statements submitted by the officers concerned and the opinion of the administrative department, the competent authority has decided to close the departmental inquiry against the officers," the circular stated.
Sources indicated that a decision regarding the departmental proceedings against the suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police and Police Inspector is also expected in the near future.
The stampede led to extensive legal proceedings, with the Karnataka government submitting a status report before the High Court outlining the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
In its report, the government placed primary responsibility on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru management, citing multiple alleged lapses in organising the victory celebrations. The report stated that formal permission for the event had not been obtained and alleged that the celebrations went ahead despite the police declining permission.
The government also highlighted that an overwhelming crowd had gathered outside the stadium, far exceeding manageable levels. It further pointed to last-minute changes in entry pass arrangements, which allegedly created confusion among spectators, while crowd management measures were found to be inadequate for handling the unprecedented turnout.
The Bengaluru stampede remains one of the city's most serious crowd management failures in recent memory. While the Karnataka government has now closed the departmental proceedings against the three senior IPS officers, the broader investigation into the incident and the accountability of other stakeholders continues to remain under scrutiny.
The case continues to draw public attention as authorities examine the sequence of events that led to the tragedy and assess responsibility for the lapses that resulted in the loss of 11 lives.
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